A long time ago, on a moon not very far away...

	Long ago, the Butar clan had been charged with guarding the pathways 
between the worlds, magical roads named Trods, by which one could walk 
between the nine worlds of the solar system and the Moon of Earth, without 
needing to cross the great voids of space in ships.  Now they were 
scattered, driven to the four corners by Beryl's assault, for she had 
sought to master the Trods for her own purposes, and to some extent 
succeeded.  Worse yet, she had turned their own power against them, cursing 
them all so that they would become lost, forever lost among the worlds, 
unable to find their way to where they wished to go.

	Smo Butar was one of the family heads, stranded now somewhere on 
Earth.  His family rode in a wagon with him, all of them carefully keeping 
an eye on each other, for any unwatched member might vanish at any time. 

	He was thus very surprised when Sailor Pluto suddenly appeared before 
him.  "Smo Butar, I have something for you."

	He blinked.  "You're alive!"

	"I will soon enter the Time Tunnel and not emerge for many, many 
years.  But there are a few tasks which must be done.  One of them is to 
ensure that your own clan does not die out due to Beryl's curse.  I cannot 
break it, but I hope that these may help to ameliorate the worst effects."  
She handed him a pair of orichalcum manacles linked by a long, delicate 
chain.

	He blinked.  "Is this a joke?"

	"These are the Chains of Love," Pluto replied.  "When a member of your 
clan finds someone they wish to marry, each must don one of them, and then 
the chain will vanish, and they will become magically linked.  Should they 
stray too far from each other, they will be drawn back together.  Once they 
are married, the effect will become permanent, so that the couple will 
never lose each other forever."

	"That would be very helpful," he said. "But what about our children?  
How can we keep from losing them?"

	Sailor Pluto sweatdropped.  "Umm...going to have to think about that 
one."

	Smo facefaulted.
	
 
*****************

       Children of Fire
       A Sailor Moon/Ranma Elseworld

       Chapter 14: Summertime Blues

       By
       John Biles

	http://maison-otaku.net/~rhea/SMR/

*****************

	Usagi sat on the roof and practiced being depressed.  She was getting 
pretty good at it.  I bungled everything, she thought.  I've lost Ranma, 
I've probably lost Rei, my parents want to kill me, Shampoo told me I was 
an idiot...  She wallowed in regret and self-pity for quite a while, 
turning each and every thing she'd done wrong over and over in her mind.

	I pushed things too far too fast, she thought.  I wanted it to all be 
like it was back then.  A tiny voice in her head whispered that Ranma 
hadn't been part of that equation, but she ignored it.  That was the 
problem with memories of the past...the past wasn't always the best guide 
to the present.  

	Grandpa won't even tell me where Rei is, she whined to herself.  Then 
the thought struck her...you know, I don't even know what Grandpa's name 
is.  Everyone just calls him Grandpa.  In fact, I think Mom called him that 
yesterday.

	She shook her head, snapped out of her funk by a new trail of thought 
to follow.  I think I'll go ask him, she thought.

	She sprang down off the roof and headed into the temple, looking for 
him.  Instead, she found her father, in his human form, looking somewhat 
depressed.  He was seated on the floor in the TV room, watching CNN.  

	"Daddy, what's wrong?"

	"Do you want the good news or the bad news first?" he asked quietly.
	
	"Umm..."  She sat down beside him.  "Good news first."

	"Two pieces of good news.  An old friend of mine got me a job doing a 
photo shoot for a skating star.  It's only one day, but any work is good 
news.  The other good news is that your mother and I managed to track down 
our relatives and find out what happened to them while we've been gone and 
what happened to all our old possessions.  Keisara-san has defied all 
expectations and the doctors and is still alive and wants to see you some 
time soon.  I was thinking we ought to go see her."

	"Oh wow, I haven't seen Grandma in...a long time!  Yeah, that would be 
great!"  Usagi said.  "How is Uncle Sano and Aunt Kozue?"

	"Well, that's one of the bad things.  He's in jail for tax evasion."

	"..."

	"Well, now we know how he was living so well..."  Kenji sighed.  
"Anyway, our house and a lot of our other stuff was left to him, since I'm 
an only child and both of my parents are dead.  Which..."

	"All had to be sold to pay the taxes and court fees and things?" Usagi 
asked.

	"Right.  Except for the things we'd left to other people on your 
mother's side of the family or my cousins for various reasons.  Also 
complicating matters is that we're legally dead.  We're hoping we can 
indeed prove we're alive, but there's some complications."

	"Complications?"

	He pointed at his fingertips.  "Like this."

	Usagi carefully looked at her father's fingers.  "They look normal to 
me."

	"Different fingerprints.  These bodies look a lot like our old human 
ones, but now we have permanent symbols on our foreheads, different blood 
types, different finger prints..."  He shook his head.  "Still, with our 
relatives backing us up, and you backing us up, we hope to get our 
identities re-established."  He pursed his lips.  "Although your brother 
doesn't want his back."

	Usagi nodded.  "I think he likes being a cat."

	"Well, it's all he's ever known, almost."  Kenji shook his head.  "It 
drives Ikuko up the walls."

	"It drives ME up the walls sometimes," Usagi said.  "So where's Mom?"

	"She's off at Kozue-san's, catching up on everything.  We're trying to 
find somewhere we can live without having to leech off someone, but since 
we don't have any money, it's looking like we'll be stuck staying with 
Kozue once we move out of here, until we're legally alive and can find 
work."

	"Can't we just sell some of the gold and gems Cologne-sama gave me?"  
Usagi asked.

	He blinked.  "The..."  He slapped his forehead.  "I didn't even think 
about that."

	"We did pay for everything on our way here, after all."  Usagi smiled 
a little.  "Anyway, I'll see about selling off more of it, and get us some 
money so we can have our own place."

	"Have you been giving Gran...Hino-san any of this?" Kenji asked.  "I'd 
like to repay him for his generosity to us."

	Usagi nodded.  "We gave him some gems...hmm, I'll need to ask him how 
to turn them into local money, because I don't know...do you think we could 
just sell it all to Naru's mother?"

	"Depends on how much you have," Kenji said.  "But Osaka-san could 
probably help us with that."

	Usagi frowned.  "Actually, now that I think about it, I'm not sure if 
we really have enough for a house, but...how many yen per pound of gold?"

	"I have no idea," Kenji said.  "Why don't we go talk to Osaka-san and 
see what she can tell us?"

	Usagi got up.  "Good idea."

***************

	Nephrite cast another horoscope. The next crystal would manifest at a 
festival.  Unfortunately, he wasn't sure what festival or where, though it 
would be soon.

	He called in his twelve youma minions Beryl had given him.  "Your 
mission is simple.  Find out where all the festivals are going to happen 
around Tokyo in the next month, then cull out any locations which lack 
mystical energy.  Keep an eye on them, and try to spot anyone who might 
have the mystic potential to be the next of the Shadows."

	"Which Shadow is next?" Sandstone asked.

	"Pride.  Lust will come after that.  Assuming that Tourmaline's crew 
manages to recover Gluttony, anyway."

	"So why weren't the shadows named after useful qualities, like 
'Courage' or 'Destroys All Our Enemies'?" Iron asked.  "I mean, why do we 
need some really arrogant guy?"

	"He's a very powerful, very arrogant guy," Nephrite said.  "Any other 
questions?"

	"Are you going to sit around on your ass while we do the work as 
usual?"  Emerald asked.

	"I could have you killed, you know," Nephrite snarled back.

	"If you wanted to anger Beryl to the point where she did to you what 
she did to Jadeite, maybe," Emerald said.  "There's not enough of us for us 
to be so expendable as the new recruits are."

	"When you find them, call me.  I will be making preparations until 
then.  Now go!"

	They left, leaving him to brood.
	
***************

	Too bad being 'Prince of the Earth' doesn't come with a handy manual, 
Mamoru thought.  "Well, I thought we might want to have a little meeting 
and try to work on our powers, since none of us remembers much about how 
they work.  Also, Gosunkugi here could probably use some combat training."

	He, Ukyou, and Gosunkugi were in the backyard of the Kunou estate; 
Kodachi was off playing in the garden nearby.  "Also, we need to try to 
find Guardian Neptune so we'll have a full set."

	"Full set?  What about all the planets in towards the Sun from Jupiter 
inwards?"  Gosunkugi asked.

	"They're all working for Beryl," Ukyou said.  "Fortunately, we used to 
be more powerful than they were."

	"Haven't they had thousands of years to practice, though?"  Gosunkugi 
asked.

	"Hopefully, they haven't spent all that time honing their abilities," 
Mamoru said in what he hoped was an encouraging manner.  "Anyway, do you 
have training with any weapons, Gosunkugi?"

	"Darts."

	"That's a start," Ukyou said.  "I bet you could learn to use your 
powers to strike people's weak spots.  Throw a dart at me."

	"I don't have any," he replied.

	"You don't?"

	"I'm not used to getting into fights."  He shrugged.  "Most of us 
don't carry weapons all the time."

	Ukyou frowned a little at that.

	"I'll see if Kunou has any," Mamoru said, heading inside the house.

	"Why are you so nervous?" Ukyou asked Gosunkugi.  "You keep looking 
around like the roses are going to jump you."

	They both watched Kodachi feed bits of beef to one rose bush.

	"Okay, bad way of putting it."  Ukyou shuddered.

	"I've had so much good luck lately, it means whatever happens to 
balance it out will be REALLY horrible."  Gosunkugi looked at the grass, 
suspecting it was waiting to trip him.

	"You have to think positively!  Besides, can't you control random 
stuff?"

	"That would require me to understand how to control my powers, which I 
don't."

	"Just think positive." 

	Mamoru returned with a dartboard and darts.  "Let's get cracking."

**************

	Setsuna turned off the TV and sighed.  What am I going to do with my 
summer vacation?  I can work for Dr. Tofu again; that'll eat some time, but 
still, with Ranma gone...

	She sighed.  I can't just curl up and die because he's gone, she 
thought.  There has to be something to do.  I just wish he was here.  We 
finally get together, and then he's gone, and I can't call him or anything.  
He'd BETTER write, she thought.

	Maybe I should see if Ami wants to do something, she thought.  Beats 
sitting around the house waiting for summer to end.  She got up and left.
 

***********

	Guardian Pluto was fairly sure that today was the weirdest day of his 
life.  He threw another dart with his eyes closed, and it struck the board, 
splitting it.  This trick seemed to work better if he ran entirely on 
instinct; he couldn't do it yet while looking at something.  It made him 
feel good about himself, but at the same time, he suspected anyone in a 
battle wouldn't sit still to be hit.  It also made him wonder when the bad 
luck was going to come down on him to balance all of his good luck.

	"Good job," Guardian Uranus said.

	"Well done," Tuxedo Mask echoed.  "Now, keep working on that while we 
spar."  He lifted his cane and saluted Guardian Uranus.  "Ready?"

	She grinned.  "Ready."

	Instead of practicing, he watched them fight; it was awe inspiring to 
Guardian Pluto.  They circled round the yard, a flurry of wood and metal, 
cane against spatula.  He was stronger on defense, she was stronger on 
offense, and so she constantly drove him back, but her blows never struck 
home.  He leaped away from her into a tree; she hurled three mini-spatulas, 
and he blocked each one with a rose.

	"Fight me!" she shouted. 

	He just grinned and kept dodging and parrying the blows for what 
seemed like hours.  Finally, she started to get winded, and he counter 
attacked, knocking aside her spatula and closing in for a finishing blow, 
only to get jabbed in the gut with two micro-spatulas.  She had been 
bluffing.

She grinned now as he fell down.  "It helps to have weapons for close 
quarters," she said.  "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Only my pride," he said.  "You're very good."

"You're not bad either.  Who trained you?"

"I think it's my old skills resurfacing," he said.  "I've done some 
kendo with Kunou, but I'm not that good.  And being transformed helps."

"I thought you two were great," Guardian Pluto said.  "I wish I could 
fight like that."

"It'll come back to you," Tuxedo Kamen said.  "You were always better 
with your powers than any kind of hand to hand, though.  My powers are 
mostly defensive and dispelling, so I had to learn to fight with weapons."

"And one of my big tricks is making weapons," Guardian Uranus said, 
brandishing a sword of gold for a moment, then banishing it.  She slapped 
her forehead.  "I could have MADE you some darts."

"I'm afraid winning at slot machines isn't going to beat any 
monsters," Guardian Pluto mumbled.

"I know you'll do your best," Tuxedo Kamen said confidently.

I hope so, he thought.

*************

	Grandpa Hino took a look at the green-haired priestess.  "So, your 
name is Hanamiya Jiko?"

	She nodded.  "Yes.  The spirits guided me here in order that I might 
be of help to you doing the festival this weekend."  Jiko was a tall, 
slender woman with long green hair, clad in traditional Shinto temple garb.  
She carried a long rod with prayer strip hanging from it, which she tended 
to swish idly when speaking.

	His eyes widened.  "They did?  That's great.  I could really use some 
help.  Usagi and Shampoo do their best, but they don't know their business 
half as well as Rei does.  Unfortunately, Rei is gone for most of the 
summer for special spiritual training."

	"Oh, she is gone?" Jiko asked.  "That would explain why the spirits 
guided me to you.  I hope I can be as helpful to you as she normally is."

	"I'd be glad to have your help," Grandpa Hino said.  "Let me show you 
around."

	She nodded, and followed him around for the next few hours.

*************

	Ami sipped her tea and stared at the chessboard.  "You're not using 
your powers, are you?"

	Setsuna blinked.  "Aren't you?"

	Ami sighed.  "I can't use my powers unless I transform, and I don't 
think freezing the chessboard would be much help."

	"Well, I can't really use my powers very much like this, either," 
Setsuna said.  "But I can't really stop using them, either."  She leaned 
back in her chair and frowned.  "Maybe we should play something else?"

	Ami stared at the board, contemplating her options.  Things weren't 
looking good with both knights dead, a bishop gone, and her king pinned in 
one corner of the board.  On the other hand, Setsuna wasn't much better 
off, and played rather erratically, wavering between brilliant and mediocre 
bursts of play.  Maybe I can beat her anyway, Ami thought.  "Well, let's 
see how this goes."

	"Okay."

	They played a while longer, and Ami's superior skill finally overcame 
Setsuna's bursts of brilliance, though it was a close game.  "You play just 
like Ryo-kun," she said.

	"Is that good or bad?" Setsuna asked.  

	Ami shook her head wryly.  "I'm not sure."  She looked at the board.  
"Setsuna, can I ask you a question?"

Setsuna's powers showed her the question Ami would eventually ask 
after much hemming and hawing, so she decided to cut to the chase. "Ranma 
and I are now seeing each other more formally, and he dumped Rei and Usagi 
after the two of them....renewed their old relationship." Setsuna smiled a 
little.  "I miss him a lot, but he won't be gone long.  I was just...I had 
started to wonder if it would ever work out for us."

	"Renew...oh."  Ami's memories of her past kicked in vividly for a 
moment, and she tried to chase the thought out of her head.  Isis had 
stumbled on Princess Serenity and Eowyn in the baths once.  "So they're 
together now?"

	Setsuna shook her head and sighed.  "They had a fight too.  And Rei's 
off in the countryside so they can't make up, and I've hardly ever seen the 
Princess look so depressed."

	Ami nodded and began picking up the chess set.  "Well, I knew this 
would end messily."

	"I never wanted to hurt her," Setsuna said.  "I just..."

	"Well, it's for the best.  Ranma needed to make up his mind a long 
time ago.  And I'm surprised you all waited so long for him to do it."

	"Love makes us all crazy."

	"But how can you love someone like that?" Ami asked.  "I mean, Ranma 
can be a nice guy, but the way he was with all of you..."  She shook her 
head.  "I half expected to hear he'd gotten all of you pregnant."

	Setsuna's eyes widened.  "Ruby would never do that!"

	"He's not Ruby any more.  He's a teenage boy, and as Father warned me 
a few years ago...teenage boys want it and want it bad," Ami said.  

	"Oh, and you've never wanted it?" Setsuna asked, irritatedly.

	"I...uh..."  Ami sagged.  "Just forget it."

	Setsuna didn't want to waste time on a fight, so she made herself drop 
the issue.  "Having any luck finding the next crystal?"

	"I've narrowed it down to a ten block radius.  But since that radius 
includes most of the business district and the homes in Juuban-ku..."  She 
shook her head.  "But I'm guessing I'll find it in the next three days."

	"Good," Setsuna said.  "Hmm, want to practice our powers some?  We 
should probably be training more."

	"That's a good idea.  Maybe we should call the others too."

	Setsuna frowned.  "I don't think Usagi will want to see me, but...yes, 
we should."

	"Well, I'll call Usagi, and you can call Minako, okay?  And then I'll 
call Naoko."

	"Okay."

****************

	"So, you're heading home to see your dad?" Gosunkugi asked Ukyou.

	Ukyou nodded.  "I haven't seen dad in months.  I need to let him know 
I'm alive."  She sighs.  "I hadn't even found Ranma yet the last time I saw 
him."

	They'd finished sparring, and now they were all having a snack on a 
blanket spread out in the backyard.

	"Sorry about him dumping you," Gosunkugi said.

	"I'll get over it," she replied.  "Somehow."  The gloom she'd managed 
to lose earlier in the day settled over her like a blanket.

	"I have a possible lead on what's happened to Sapphire," Mamoru said, 
trying to change the subject.  "Rei told me that Tsubasa told her can talk 
to spirits."

	Ukyou twitched. "That demented freak is Sapphire?"

	"And he's been shouting about how he's your reborn love, and well..."

	Her hands clenched her brownie so hard it crumbled in her hands.  
"That would mean I'd have to be around him all the time."

	Mamoru decided perhaps changing the subject again would be a good 
idea.  He turned to Kodachi, who had joined them.  "I figured out why your 
constrictor vines aren't eating."

	"Do they not like mice?"

	"They want live prey, you see."

	"Don't change the subject!" Ukyou shouted.  "Do you really intend to 
recruit that mental case Tsubasa?"

	"Well, if he is Sapphire reincarnated, we need him."

	Ukyou twitched more.  "I think you're right.  No one else could 
possibly be as annoying as him!"

	Gosunkugi said weakly, "Well, we don't know for sure yet."

	Ukyou got up.  "I don't want to think about this.  I don't want...damn 
you, RANMA!" she shouted at the heavens.

	Everyone else sat rather embarrassed, except for Kodachi, who said, "I 
don't see Ranma anywhere."

	"I'm going home," Ukyou said.  "I'll see you all when I get back from 
Osaka.  Kodachi-san, thanks for the hospitality."  And then she stormed 
off.

	Mamoru sighed.  "I didn't mean to make her mad."

	"Being dumped hurts," Gosunkugi said.  "I speak from experience."

***********

	Ukyou sat on her bed, curled up and crying again.  She was in a guest 
room at Haruka's; she hadn't wanted to hang around the temple once Ranma 
had dumped her.  She'd spent the last few days just curled up in a ball a 
lot of the time.  After getting her hopes up so high, he'd cast her down 
into the pit of despair.

	Haruka knocked on the door.  "You done crying yet?" she asked.  

	"Kiss my ass!" Ukyou shouted.

	"Look, I can leave you to wallow in self-pity if you really want, but 
I thought you'd rather do something fun your last night before you leave."

	Part of Ukyou was getting tired of self-marinating in a brew of 
despair, so she sat up and said, "Come in."

	Haruka came in, dressed in one of her racing outfits.  "I was thinking 
we could go drive twice the speed limit for a while, then we could spar.  I 
know beating the crap out of someone always makes me feel better.  And Mom 
packed some food for us.  So, we could do the picnic under the stars 
thing."

	"If we see Ranma, swerve to hit him, okay?"

	Haruka grinned.  "Alright."

*********

	"No, no, you hold the staff like this," Sailor Moon said, gripping her 
staff in both hands.

	Venus began twirling hers like a baton.  "Then you throw it in the air 
and..."

	Sailor Moon slapped her forehead.  "We're NOT combat cheerleaders!"

	Pluto grinned and stood ready with her staff.  They were all in her 
back yard.  

	Mercury gripped the staff she'd been given.  "Like this?"

	"Yes.  Now..."  Sailor Moon ducked.  "Venus, will you STOP that?"

	Venus suddenly straightened up and held her staff correctly.  "Right."

	"Very good," Sailor Moon said.

	"Well, I've been staff fighting since I was four," Venus said.

	"..."

	"I am a tea house ninja, you know."

	Sailor Moon sighed.  "Okay, why don't you go spar with big sister, 
then, while I teach the people who need it?"

	"Okay!"  Venus charged at Shampoo, and the two of them started 
sparring back and forth.

	While Pluto already knew the basics of staff fighting, it was all new 
to Mercury, but Mercury seemed to pick things up quite readily.  After a 
half hour of working on this, the doorbell at the front of the house rang.  
"Everyone be ready to detransform," Pluto said, transforming back to normal 
as she ran for the back door.  "Just in case it's someone I can't just get 
rid of."

	It turned out to be a short, stocky, darkhaired middle-aged couple 
hauling an old woman on a stretcher.  "Setsuna!" the man said.  "We finally 
found you!"

	"..."

	"We brought grandmother to meet you, as we had to get her approval," 
the woman said.  "So, grandmother, what do you think of her?"

	The old woman mumbled something.

	The woman translated, "She says you've grown up to be very pretty."

	Setsuna said weakly, "Umm...do I know you?"

	The man sighed.  "If we're at the wrong house AGAIN..."

	The woman pulled out a picture and showed it to Setsuna.  "This is 
you, right?"

	It showed Setsuna at age 11, wearing a birthday party hat, blowing out 
a cake with eleven candles.  As she looked at the picture, she remembered 
the birthday party.  Which was quite confusing, as she'd inserted her new 
life into the timeline at the age of 16, her current biological age.  Or at 
least, she thought she had.  The memory grew just enough to give her some 
further context.  

	The Hibikis.  They took care of me after my parents died, promising 
them they'd raise me to...marry their son...  But...none of that ever 
happened!  Right?  

	"It looks like me...but I don't know who you are."

	"Mei'ou Setsuna?"

	"Yes, that's me."

	"Then we are at the right place!"  the woman hugged her.  "I'm sorry 
we were gone for five years."

	"..."

	"Help me carry Mother inside, dear," Mr. Hibiki said.

	She moved over and hefted the stretcher, then the two of them started 
to wander off down the street.

	"Ummm..." Setsuna said. "The house is over here."

	"Oh, RIGHT," Mr. Hibiki said, and he and his wife carried his mother 
inside.  "Is Ryouga here?"

	"I...um...haven't seen him in a while," Setsuna said.  "Assuming I'm 
thinking of the same Ryouga."

	Mrs. Hibiki sighed.  "Still those fits of amnesia, honey?"

	"I know who I am!  I just..."

	"I think I still have the flash cards.  Once we get some tea made and 
Mother laid out nicely, I'll remind you who you are, okay?"

	"..."  Setsuna wondered if she'd snapped.  "Umm...I have some friends 
over in the backyard.  We were sparring and..."

	"Oh, bring them in, I'd love to meet them," Mrs. Hibiki said.  "Now, I 
just need to run to the bathroom.  She immediately headed into the closet.  
"Who put all these coats in the bathroom?"

	This is what I get for not wanting to be bored, Setsuna thought.

*********

	Nephrite walked into Osaka-P with Greed trailing after him. "Wait 
outside," he said to Greed.

	"But boss..."

	"Or you'll rob the place again, and I'll have to sneak everything back 
in before they notice."

	"Spoilsport," Greed muttered.

	Can't take him anywhere, Nephrite thought.  He went back in and went 
up to Mrs. Osaka.  "Hello, again," he said, smiling his best smile.

	She blushed slightly.  "Hello, Mr. Clancy.  What can I do for you 
today?"

	"I need some cut gems.  Which may be difficult for you to get, as they 
need to be on the large size.  I'm not sure what sort of stones would be 
appropriate, or whether maybe I could just get colored glass."

	"When you say large, what do you mean?"  

	He looked around, then asked, "Can we go into your office?"

	She said, "Let me call Naru down to run the counter."

	Naru soon came downstairs.  "Oh, hi, Mr. Clancy!" she said, then 
blushed a little.

	I think she has a crush on me, Nephrite realized.  Looking at the way 
her mother looked, he soon wondered if she found him attractive as well.  
This could be useful, he thought.  

	He looked at Naru again.  "Hello, Naru.  How are you today?"  There 
was definitely something familiar about her.

	"I'm fine," she said.  "Umm...how about you?"

	"I am fine.  Thank you for asking."

	"Can you watch the counters while I help Mr. Clancy with something?" 
Mrs. Osaka asked her daughter.

	"Sure, Mom," Naru said.  

	He went into Mrs. Osaka's office.  Glancing around, he noticed lots of 
pictures of her with her daughter, but only one with both of them with a 
man, in which Naru was just a little baby.  "Are you married?" he asked.

	"He's been dead nearly twelve years," she replied. "Car wreck."  She 
sighed.  "So what is it that...ooooooh."

	He pulled out the green Rainbow Crystal.  "I need seven this size, 
each a different color."

	She stared at it, watching it catch the light and almost glow.  
"Unless you have really scary amounts of money, I don't think we can get 
you real gemstones that size."

	Nephrite had been afraid of that.  Unfortunately, the gemstones back 
home were all charged with dark energies and couldn't be made to pass as 
Rainbow crystal.  He needed magically neutral gems.  Although it was still 
going to be hard to charge them with positive energy, but he was working on 
some ideas for that.  "Well, are there other options?  I have some 
substantial funds, but I must admit that they are not limitless."

	"I can do some investigating for you.  What are they for?"

	"Public display.  While the real ones are kept locked away."

	"You have seven gemstones THIS BIG?" she asked weakly.

	"Yes.  Will you need them during the process of setting up the 
creation of duplicates?"

	"Yes," she replied.  Some doubts nagged at her, as her mind tried to 
tell her she was being drawn into something dubious, but her doubts kept 
vanishing every time she looked into his eyes and gazed on his handsome 
face.  She could feel her pulse quickening.  

	"Then I will see about bringing them all," he replied.  "Later today."  
After I have time to go get fakes, he thought.  As it won't matter if she 
duplicates gems filled with dark energies she can't detect.  He took her 
hand and kissed it.  "Thank you.  This will be very helpful to me."

	She gulped.  "You're welcome."

	They made further arrangements, and then went back out to the main 
room, where Naru was busy ringing up the sale of a tennis bracelet.  "There 
you go, ma'am."

	The young lady buying it smiled.  "Thank you."  Then she left.

	Naru turned to them, "Did you make the sale, Mom?"

	"I think we'll be able to afford to take a nice vacation after all 
this," she said to her daughter, smiling.

	Nephrite took Naru's hand and kissed it, leaving a small spell on her 
to make sure she wouldn't tell anyone he was here.  "You are very kind to 
help your mother like that."

	Naru turned red.  "Just doing my duty as a daughter, Mr. Clancy."

	"Please, call me Tom, both of you."

	"Okay, Tom," Naru said, feeling herself about ready to melt.

	"I'll be back this evening," he said.

	"I'll see you then," Mrs. Osaka said.

	He went outside and found Greed examining a pearl necklace.  "I told 
you..." he began.

	"Oh, I stole it off someone out here, boss.  Want one of the watches I 
pinched?"

	Sandstone was right, Nephrite thought.  Beryl should have picked a 
different set of qualities.  Or given them more brains at least.  At least 
Emerald isn't here.

	A rod poked his shoulder.  It was Emerald, holding a long rod with 
prayer ribbons trailing from it, dressed as a priestess.  Nephrite stared.  
"What the hell are you doing?"

	"Infiltrated a temple," Emerald replied.  "They're having a festival 
on Friday, the old man who runs it seems to have some mystical potential, 
AND it's the same place where Tourmaline's brain-dead family fought the 
Senshi a while back."

	"Sounds like a likely prospect."

	"I volunteered to help run the festival," she continued.  "I should be 
able to grab the Crystal then."

	"Right.  I'll have the rest of the Dirty Dozen attend the festival, 
then, and be ready to strike."

	"Dirty Dozen?" Emerald asked.  "We are NOT dirty."

	"Whatever.  Anyway, I have to go rock-hunting."

	"Going to give some gems to your underage sweetie?" Emerald asked.

	"I do not have an underage lover!" Nephrite barked back.

	"Hmm, I may be qualified to perform marriages now..."

	"I can steal you both a ring, boss," Greed said to Nephrite.

	Nephrite controlled his urge to kill.  "Just shut up and go back to 
work, both of you."

	"As you like." She handed a small leather strip with characters on it 
to Nephrite.  "Here, a love charm to help you attract her attention."

	"GO!"

	Emerald vanished in a flash of emerald light.  Greed said, "Hmm, if I 
love money, would wearing that get me more money?"

	He passed it to Greed.  "Wear it in good health."

	"You're the greatest, boss."

	Eternal Sleep is starting to look good compared to working with these 
idiots, Nephrite thought.

	
*********

	Makoto stood in front of the restaurant, pacing back and forth.  Why 
isn't Mikado here yet, she asked herself, though she feared she knew the 
answer already.  Her cellphone rang.  She picked it up.  "Hello?" she 
asked.

	"Sorry, Makoto, I've got a hot date, so I won't be showing up," Mikado 
said.  "See you at practice tomorrow."

	"Hey, what about our..." Makoto began.

	"I'll stop by and drop off my credit card, so you can pay with that, 
since I did say I'd buy you dinner.  It's the least I can do.  Go ahead and 
go in and order some food; I'll be there before you have to pay."

	"..."

	"See you in a little bit," he said, then hung up.

	Makoto slammed her phone into her purse.  "Dammit!"  Why can't I just 
forget about this jerk, she asked herself.  But no, every time I try to 
break it off, he just makes googly eyes at me, and my brain melts 
and...aaaaaargh!

	While Makoto basted herself in rage and self-loathing, Gosunkugi 
walked up to the restaurant.  His parents were gone for a few days, and had 
left him money to get food.  So, he'd decided to go out to eat.  He began 
arguing with himself over whether or not to blow a large amount of it on 
the expensive restaurant.  He really shouldn't, but it was very tempting.  

	Makoto, having turned to go into the restaurant.  At least I'll get 
free food out of this, she thought.  She saw Gosunkugi wandering around 
haplessly.  I wonder if he got stood up too, she thought.  Why are there so 
many obnoxious people like that out there?  People who just use other 
people, then cast them aside like used tissue.  

	"Hey, you," she said to Gosunkugi.

	He didn't answer, assuming it had to be someone else being addressed.

	"Hey, you with the dark hair wandering around," Makoto said, a little 
louder.

	He turned, blinking.  "Are you..."  His eyes widened.  He'd seen her 
skating against Haruka and Rei.  "You're Kino Makoto of the Golden Pair!"

	She smiled.  "It's nice to be known.  You here alone?"

	For a little while, he just sort of stared at her mindlessly, then 
said, "Yes."

	"Would you like to eat with me?  It's never any fun eating by 
yourself."

	Gosunkugi's brain spent a minute going over the sentence over and 
over, trying to figure out how he could have such a realistic 
hallucination.  Finally, it concluded that this was, in fact, really 
happening.  "Sure," he said, coming over to her.  "My name is Gosunkugi 
Gosunkugi.  I mean Hikaru Hikaru.  I mean Gosunkugi Hikaru."  

	I wonder why he's so nervous, Makoto asked herself.  She quickly 
checked herself with her compact mirror.  No, my makeup is okay, I don't 
look deranged or anything.  "Then, let's go in."

	They went in and got a table, then sat down to decide what to order.

Gosunkugi looked over the menu, trying to think of something clever to 
say.  His brain was too busy melting to slag to have any wit.

	"So where do you go to school?" Makoto asked.

	"Blue Sky Academy," Gosunkugi replied.  "I'm a sophomore."

	"I attend Torio High myself," Makoto replied.  "And I'm a sophomore 
too.  Although all my time I spend on my skating makes keeping my grades up 
pretty hard."

	"I've seen you skate," Gosunkugi replied.  "It was very impressive."

	The waitress came, did a double take, then said, "Ahh, this the 
gentleman you were waiting for?" 

	"Yes," Makoto replied.  "Gosunkugi-san, you can order first if you 
like."

	He gulped.  "Hmm, I'll have a chicken sandwich and some onion soup."

	"Now, now, feel free to order something expensive," Makoto said.  
"Mikado is paying for it."

	Gosunkugi's eyes widened.  "Really?"

	Makoto giggled.  "Yep."

	"Oh, well, then I'll have the 12 ounce steak, rare, and the onion 
soup, with some rolls and the fried vegetables as the sides."  

	Makoto said, "Sixteen ounce steak for me, with onion rings and a 
Caesar salad."

	Gosunkugi asked, "He won't get mad about..."

	Makoto waved her hands.  "Oh, he's got a hot date on his mind."

	The waitress headed off to place their orders.

	Gosunkugi nodded.  "I'm surprised you couldn't get a date and had to 
just grab me."

	Frowning a little, Makoto said, "I got stood up."

	"I know the feeling," he said.  "If I had a yen for every time I was 
stood up, I could probably buy Tokyo."  He sighed.  "My love life tends to 
be pretty pathetic."

	Makoto felt a pang of compassion for him.  "Well, mine hasn't been too 
great, either."

	His eyes widened.  "Really?  I'd think a pretty girl like you could 
have all the men she wanted."

	If I wasn't dating an idiot, she thought.  "Thanks for telling me I'm 
pretty," she replied.

	"No, really, you are pretty," he said.  "You've got eyes 
like...umm..."  He tried to think of a good metaphor.  "Emeralds.  And 
Emeralds are very nice."

	She smiled.  "That's very sweet of you to say that."

	Gosunkugi blushed.  "Thank you."

	Mikado now strode up, with blonde bimbo in tow.  "Just a moment, 
Hitomi-chan," he said to her, then turned to Makoto.  "I've brought the..."  
The presence of Gosunkugi sank in.  "Who are you?"

	"I'm Gosunkugi Gos...Gosunkugi Hikaru, sir," he said weakly.

	"Well, you ditched me, so he's my date," Makoto said defiantly.

	Date? Gosunkugi thought.  His brain teteered on the edge of a melt-
down.

	Mikado fumed, and was about to say something when his date tugged on 
his sleeve.  "C'mon, Mikado honey, we've got hurry or we'll miss our 
reservation."

	He slammed down the credit card on the table.  "We'll discuss this 
later," he said, then stormed out.

	Makoto took the credit card and stuck out her tongue at his retreating 
back.  "Don't worry about him, Gosunkugi-san.  He's just a womanizing 
windbag."

	"I...he...okay," Gosunkugi said faintly, then sat and tried to think 
of something to say.

	They both sat there for a little while, neither of them sure what to 
say to each other.  Makoto did her best to try to not think about Mikado.  
Gosunkugi tried not to think about Mikado beating him up.  Finally, 
Gosunkugi asked, "So what are you doing during your vacation?  Anything 
fun?"

	"Well, we have four matches scheduled, and I have a photo shoot 
tomorrow for some promotional pictures and I'm going to go swimming some, 
and maybe go camping for a few days."  Makoto sipped her tea.  "How about 
you?"

	"Ooh, a photo shoot?  Professional photographers and everything?"

	Makoto smiled.  "Yes.  An old friend of my manager, who just got back 
from being out of the country a few years or something.  Named...Tsukino.  
Tsukino Kenji."

	"Usagi's dad?" Gosunkugi asked.

	Makoto blinked.  "You know him?"

	"Oh, I've known Usagi since I was little.  Her family went to China 
for eight years."

	"Oh wow, that's cool," Makoto said.  "Does she speak Chinese and 
everything now?"

	"She's been training in martial arts all that time," Gosunkugi said.  

	"I do a little martial arts myself," Makoto said.  "I'll have to see 
if I get my manager to tell him to bring his daughter, then.  I'd like to 
meet her."

	Gosunkugi dug out his little blue book of numbers and fumbled through 
it.  "Do you have something I could write on?  I've got her number."

	Makoto dug her own phone number book out of her purse and a pen, and 
took down the number.  "Thanks," she said.  "And what's your number?"

	Smoke came out of Gosunkugi's ears.  "You want my number?" he asked 
weakly.

	"Sure," she said.  "Here's my card."  She dug out one and slid it over 
to him.  "I wouldn't mind seeing you again."  It would drive Mikado 
completely insane, she was sure.  And he was a nice enough guy, even if he 
looked rather creepy.  

	He gave her his number twice incorrectly before he finally pulled 
himself together enough to give her the correct phone number.  Then their 
food arrived, and they turned to eating.

********

Ryouga stared at the door.  This is suspiciously familiar, he thought.  
Which means I'm probably about to walk in on someone's bedroom.  He knocked 
anyway.

Mr. Mizuno answered the door.  "Hello?"

I'm at the right house, Ryouga thought.  "Hi, is Ami here?"

"She's over at Setsuna's."

Curse my sense of direction, Ryouga thought.  These flowers will wilt 
long before I get to anywhere nearby.  "Okay, I'll head over there."

Mr. Mizuno looked at the flowers and smiled.  "Planning to ask her 
out?"

Ryouga blushed.  "Is it that obvious?"

"Well, I didn't think you were here to ask ME out," he replied.  

"I'll go find her at Setsuna's then," Ryouga said.

"Alright.  Good luck."

Ryouga took off down the street.  Maybe if I try to go somewhere else, 
I'll end up where Ami is, he thought.  It's worth a try.

********

	"She's engaged to Ryouga?" Usagi asked in surprise.

	"Yes, ever since they were little," Mrs. Hibiki replied.  

	"I am going to marry Ranma," Setsuna said.  "Not Ryouga.  Even if I 
liked Ryouga, he'd never show up for the wedding anyway."

	Mr. Hibiki says, "Well, our family weddings do usually require tying 
everyone down so no one gets lost and calling for a judge to come in."

	Setsuna twitched.  Shampoo laughed so hard she fell out of her chair.  
Minako did the same thing.  Usagi and Ami tried not to laugh.  

	"So you don't know where Ryouga is?" Mr. Hibiki asked.

	"Not a clue.  Haven't seen him in a while," Setsuna replied.  

	Mrs. Hibiki sighed.  "The amnesia again.  Out of sight, out of your 
mind."

	"I am NOT amnesiac!"

	"I knew we should have taken you with us, but it would have hampered 
your schooling."  She paused.  "You remember what school is, right?"

	"Yes.  I'm on summer vacation.  But I remember."

	"Has she been claiming she's a reincarnated warrior from the moon 
again?" Mrs. Hibiki asked Usagi.  "She used to do that whenever we tried to 
make her do something she didn't like, especially during her amnesia 
bouts."

	Usagi giggled.  "Yep.  All the time."

	"Usagi!" Setsuna said.  "That's a secret!"

	"She dresses up in a short skirt and a blouse with a big bow and waves 
her staff around, shouting she's Pretty Princess Pluto," Minako said, 
giggling.

	"Wasn't Pluto the dog?" Mr. Hibiki asked, scratching his head.

	Setsuna prayed for a monster attack as soon as possible.

********

	 Ukyou ducked under Haruka's punch, then swept her spatula to try to 
knock Haruka off her feet.  But Haruka simply backflipped out of the way of 
the blow, then circled left.  Ukyou pivoted warily, then charged, trying to 
force Haruka onto the defensive.  But now Haruka ducked under Ukyou's 
mighty chest-level spatula swing, then rose up as Ukyou passed her and 
kicked her in the back.  Ukyou went sprawling.

	She laughed and leaped up to her feet, hurling a barrage of mini-
spatulas.  Haruka dodged and weaved, but one of them nailed her in the top 
of her shoulder, giving her a nasty bruise and slicing her shirt open.  
That side of the shirt sagged down, baring her shoulder.  "Oww!"

	"I did use the blunt ones, right?"

	"Still hurt," Haruka said.  "And now I need a new shirt."

	"Sorry about that," Ukyou said.

	"Come inside," Haruka said.  "I keep some extra clothing out here."

	They headed into Haruka's family's beachhouse, a two story bungalow 
bigger than anywhere Ukyou had ever lived except for school dorms.  It was 
very nicely furnished, but needed a good dusting.  "Nice place," Ukyou 
said.

	"Thanks.  We have some bathing suits here, if you want to go swim 
after this."

	"Yeah, that'd be nice," Ukyou replied.  

	They both went and changed into bathing suits, then headed out onto 
the beach, running out into the water.  After an hour or so of splashing 
around in the water, Ukyou felt a lot better.  I've just spent too much 
time obsessing over Ranma, she thought.  And not enough time just doing 
stuff like this.  

	After the sun set, they headed back inside to eat the dinner Haruka's 
mom had packed for them, then ended up on the couch on the porch, watching 
the stars shimmer high in the sky.  "Makes all your problems seem pretty 
little," Ukyou said.

	"You feeling better?"

	"Yeah.  I needed a distraction," Ukyou said.

	"Well, at least you aren't stuck waiting for him to make up his mind," 
Haruka said.  

	"That's not much comfort," Ukyou said.  "Let's talk about something 
else.  I don't want to think about Ranma."

	"Okay, let's talk about me, then," Haruka teased.

	Ukyou laughed and punched Haruka's arm lightly.  "You are, after all, 
the center of the universe."

	"Oh, everyone's the center of their own universe," Haruka said.  "So 
you're staying with your dad pretty much the whole break?"

	"Yeah.  Going to be boring as hell most of the time, but I should get 
to see a few old friends and just get away from everything."

	Haruka nodded and looked thoughtful.

	"What are you thinking about?" Ukyou asked.

	"Whether or not you want me to seduce you," Haruka said, grinning.

	Ukyou noogied Haruka.  "You're incorrigible."

	"I try.  It is a romantic night."

	"Well, if you were a guy, I'd say yes," Ukyou said.  "Just to spite 
Ranma and because I do feel kind of lonely.  But women don't grab me that 
way."

	"Don't knock it 'til you try it."

	"I didn't like it when I was a guy, let alone now," Ukyou replied.

	Haruka shook her head.  "It's always kinda weird thinking about that.  
I mean, why would a guy be reborn as a woman?  Or vice versa?"

	"Well, I never had a chance with Ruby because I was male, so maybe the 
universe was trying to help me out," Ukyou said.  "Even if it didn't work.  
Or maybe it happens all the time, and most people never notice.  For that 
matter, maybe I was a woman the life before Diamond, and then I was born as  
a man due to a clerical error in Heaven or something, in that life."

	"I guess we'll never know."

	"Yeah."

	"Well, if we're not going to have mad passionate sex, we'd best head 
back home, so you can get to bed and catch your train in the morning."

	Ukyou nodded.  "Let's go."

************

	"So, what'd you do today?" Tsubasa asked Gosunkugi as they played 
Virtual Potato Fighter on Gosunkugi's Saturn.  Tsubasa was a stump today.  
This looked rather strange inside Gosunkugi's living room.

	"Went out with some friends, then...you're not going to believe this.  
I don't believe this."

	"You had dinner with a fabulous supermodel, then came back here and 
showed her your stamp collection?" Tsubasa teased.

	"I ran into Kino Makoto of the Golden Pair and she invited me to have 
dinner with her, so I took her up on it," Gosunkugi said.

	Tsubasa began to laugh.  "Uh huh."

	"I did!  I did!" Gosunkugi insisted.

	"Sure you did."

	"I got her phone number and everything!" Gosunkugi protested.

	Tsubasa exploited his distraction to mash Gosunkugi's Virtual Mr. 
Potatohead hard.  "Sure you did," he said.

	"I'll prove it!"  Gosunkugi got out his little blue phonebook and went 
over to the phone and dialed.  The phone rang for a long time, and no one 
picked up.  "Hi, this is Gosunkugi Hikaru.  Just making sure I got your 
number down correctly, Kino-san.  Talk to you later."

	"Hah, you were just making it up," Tsubasa said.

	Gosunkugi hung up.  "I am not!"  He stomped back over.  "She just 
wasn't home."

	"Uh huh."

	"Gotta hit the bathroom.  Be right back," Gosunkugi said, and ran off 
deeper into the house.

	Tsubasa sat and waited, and then the phone rang, so he got up and 
answered it.  "Gosunkugi house.  Can I help you?"

	"Hi, is Hikaru-san there?" a woman's voice asked.

	Tsubasa felt the world turn upside down.  A woman actually calling 
Gosunkugi?  Must be an aunt or something, he thought.  "He's in the 
bathroom, but he'll be out in just a second."

	"Oh, okay, I can wait.  May I ask who you are?" she asked.

	Tsubasa gave in to temptation.  "Yes, I'm Gosunkugi Taiki, his uncle.  
I'm checking in on him while his parents are gone."

	"That's nice of you," she replied.  

	"And you are?"

	"Kino Makoto.  I met your nephew earlier today."

	He told the truth, Tsubasa thought.  The world must be ending.  "I 
hope he showed you a good time."

	"He's very nice," Makoto replied.  "Unlike certain people who stand 
other people up who I could mention, but won't."

	Tsubasa got the picture.  "Ahh," he said.  "Yes, some young men just 
don't learn proper manners these days.  Fortunately, my nephew isn't one of 
them."

	Gosunkugi came out.  "Who's on the phone?" he asked.

	"Okay, here he is," Tsubasa said.

	He passed the phone to Gosunkugi saying, "Okay, you told the truth."

	"I told you," Gosunkugi said to Tsubasa.  

	Tsubasa played solo Virtual Potato Fighter for the next half hour 
while Gosunkugi and Makoto talked on the phone.  Finally, he said, "Okay, 
you made your point!"

	Gosunkugi ignored him, only getting off the phone about twenty minutes 
after that.  "Sorry about that.  She sounded kind of lonely and..."

	"Okay, I'd have done the same thing," Tsubasa said.  "But don't 
pretend you're just being altruistic."

	Gosunkugi blushed.  "We're going to go to the Festival this weekend at 
the Hikawa Temple."

	"Damn, when did you get so smooth?  And can you teach me?" Tsubasa 
asked.

	Laughing nervously, Gosunkugi picked up the controller.  "Just a burst 
of good luck.  Which probably means the house will catch fire tonight."

	"Don't give it any ideas, man."
 

*********

	Setsuna laid on her bed and tried to sleep.  What am I going to do 
about these people?  Could they really be my family?  I thought I set 
myself up to not have to deal with such things.  But maybe that was as much 
wishful thinking as my hoping that Ruby would just jump into my arms, too.

	There was just too much she couldn't quite remember clearly.  The 
process of rebirth had left some holes, and she'd deliberately forgotten 
some things so she wouldn't feel like a trapped robot in the hands of 
destiny.  

	I can't marry Ryouga she thought.  Then again, I may wake up and they 
may be lost again for another half a decade.  She sighed.

	I hope Ranma's doing okay, she thought.  I can't wait until I see you 
again.

*********

	Mikado was on a slow burn the next morning.  Makoto had to admit she 
was enjoying it.  He obviously wanted to interrogate her about the man he'd 
seen her with the previous night, but couldn't bring himself to admit it 
had happened.  She skated idly in a circle as she waited for the 
photographer to show up.

	When he did, she was suitably impressed, as she hadn't expected the 
photographer to be quite so blond and cute and have a yellow moon tattoo on 
his forehead.  It made an odd contrast with the conservative suit he wore.  
He was accompanied by a short, muscular blonde with very long hair gathered 
into two buns with ponytails trailing from them, and by Gosunkugi, who'd 
dressed up in a suit himself.  

	While he worked on setting up his equipment, Gosunkugi and the girl 
came over to the edge of the rink.  "Kino-san, this is Tsukino Usagi, my 
friend I told you about," Gosunkugi said.  "Usagi-san, this is Kino 
Makoto."

	"You're a really great skater!" Usagi gushed.  "I saw you go up 
against my friend Rei and my friend Haruka a while back, and even though I 
had to cheer for Rei, because, you know, she's my...best friend, I was 
really impressed."

	Makoto frowned at the memory of that disaster.  "Ahh, yes, that 
match."

	Mikado, seeing a cute girl he hadn't kissed yet, zoomed up.  "Ahh, a 
fair maiden.  Have you come to help your father?"

	Usagi smiled.  "Yes.  Daddy's trying to teach me all about 
photography."

	Mikado stuck a heroic pose.  "I hope you will enjoy this photo shoot, 
then."  He took her hand and kissed it.  "Are you busy after the shoot?"

	Usagi blushed slightly.  Normally, she would have just laughed at him; 
she knew his reputation.  But she didn't want to mess anything up for her 
father, and she was feeling just a little lonely and vulnerable with Ranma 
and Rei gone and everything so bad between herself and Rei and Ranma.  "No, 
not really," she said.

	Makoto frowned.  Okay, she is cute, but must he hit on EVERYTHING THAT 
MOVES in front of me?  She turned to Gosunkugi.  "You doing anything 
tonight?"

	"No, not really," he said.  "Tsubasa and I had sort of vaguely 
discussed going to a movie or something."

	"Mind if I tag along?" she asked.

	Mikado froze up like she'd turned him to ice.

	"That'd be great," Gosunkugi said weakly.  "Do you want us to meet you 
at the theatre, or should we come by your house or what?"

`	Usagi glanced back and forth at the three of them, and her brain 
carefully misinterpreted everything.  "You should tell Tsubasa to ask Naoko 
to go with you, and then you could make it a double date."

	Mikado's teeth ground.  "Don't we have practice tonight?"

	"You cancelled so you could go out with Hitomi again, remember?" 
Makoto asked with a sickly sweet voice.  

	"Sure, I'll suggest that to him," Gosunkugi said.  He felt his knees 
getting wobbly.  

	"You two ready?" Kenji asked, now coming over.

	Mikado instantly went to 'Look at how cool I am' mode.  "Ready."  He 
took Makoto's hand.  "Let's go."

	She leaned over and kissed Gosunkugi on the cheek, smiling as she felt 
Mikado's hand twitch.  "Have fun watching us."

	Gosunkugi put a hand to his cheek.  "I'm dreaming."

	"I think she likes you," Usagi said, smiling.

	"I think she's trying to make Mikado jealous," Kenji said.  "Better be 
careful about getting into the middle between those two, Hikaru-san."

	"Don't be a cynic, Dad."

	"And if you go out with that Mikado boy, I will personally have to 
spank you," he replied.

	"Dad, I just...I mean, I don't want to cause any trouble.  It's not 
like I can't beat the snot out of him if he tries anything I don't like."

	Kenji frowned.  "Don't go on a date with him for my sake.  If he gets 
mad and decides he wants another photographer, at least we get to keep our 
integrity."

	"It'll be okay, Daddy," Usagi said.  "Cologne-sama always told me 
never to pass up a free meal, anyway."

	Kenji frowned, then began directing the shoot, having Usagi try to 
take the same pictures he was going for, so he could use his own as a model 
from which to critique her efforts later.

	Gosunkugi sat back and watched, wondering which of them was right. And 
if he would act any different either way.  Even if she was just using him, 
it was nice having someone be affectionate with him.  And Makoto really did 
seem like a nice person.  I guess I'll just have to see what develops.

**********

	"Naoko's gone off with her family for most of break," Tsubasa said 
over the phone to Gosunkugi.  "You want me to bail so you two can be 
alone?"

	Gosunkugi blushed.  "I wouldn't know what to do with a woman by myself 
on a date."

	"You did okay at the restaurant, it sounds like.  Hmm, I could ask 
Usagi.  What with Ranma and Rei having dumped her, she's probably not doing 
anything.  Or I could ask Ami, and then you could flirt with both of them."

	Gosunkugi turned more red.  "That would just be...I like Ami, but I 
don't think she likes me like that."

	"Well, I'd ask Ukyou, but she's gone home now."

	"And would just hit you."

	"That too."

	"How about Naru?  She isn't dating anyone."

	"You think she'd say yes to me?"

	"No, not really," Gosunkugi said.

	"Then why did you SUGGEST HER?"

	"Aliens made me do it."

	Tsubasa rolled his eyes.  "Riiight.  Hmmm, I could try beating Shampoo 
in combat to get her to go with me..."

	"And then you could take out the entire JSDF with a spoon."

	"Been there, done that," Tsubasa replied.  "Maybe Minako would be 
interested."

	"Give me a call back once you know, okay?"

	"Okay.  Talk to you later."

********

	Usagi listened to Mikado ramble on as she ate her food, smiling and 
trying to not fall asleep.  He did know some interesting skating stories, 
and he was a pretty skillful flirt, but she found him ultimately rather 
boring.  The food was worth it, though.

	Her mind drifted away, and she wondered what was going on with Ranma 
and Rei.  As she thought about it, she felt more and more guilty.  I really 
screwed things up, she thought.  I lost both of them!  She wasn't sure if 
she and Rei would be able to patch things up, and it looked like Ranma had 
finally gone back to Setsuna.

	I need more discipline, she decided.  I've been lazy and stupid.  If 
I'd just controlled myself, this whole mess never would have happened.  
Instead, I just ended up hurting Ranma and Rei.  Well, I'll do better. I 
have to do better.

	"Do you know this Gosunkugi fellow?" Mikado asked.

	Usagi said, "Oh, I've known him ever since he was little, although I 
haven't seen him much for a while, as I was in China."

	"What's he like?"

	Usagi was smart enough to figure out why Mikado was pumping her for 
information.  And sufficiently impish enough to decide to exploit that.  
"Oh, he's a real ladykiller.  He doesn't look very impressive, but he just 
brings out those mothering instincts, and pretty soon, he has them eating 
out of his hands.  Pretty soon, he has another love slave."

	Mikado stared in shock.  "No wonder she was just fawning on him like 
that.  Well, I can't let him do that to my partner."

	Thinking about the duel, Usagi suddenly realized she'd probably just 
stirred up a hornet's nest and knocked it down on Gosunkugi at the same 
time.  "Oh, but, umm...I mean...I was sort of joking."

	Mikado stood up.  "I will rescue her from that foul user of women!  He 
will regret what he has done to bewitch her!"

	Maybe I should take an oath of silence, Usagi thought.  For the good 
of mankind.

**********

	Gosunkugi boggled at the thought of riding in the back of a chauffered 
limousine.  "Wow, you're rich," he said to Makoto.

	She laughed.  "Somewhat, yes.  My aunt and uncle are usually too busy 
to drive me around, so they've had Hayao driving me around ever since I was 
little."

	"Kino-san, which theatre are we going to?" Hayao, the middle-aged, 
moustached driver asked.

	"Which theatre?" Makoto asked Tsubasa.

	"Galaxy 8," he replied.  He sat very nervously, having dressed up in a 
suit.  

	"Galaxy 8 is a lousy theatre from what I've heard," the driver's side 
seat told him.

	Shut up, Tsubasa thought.  I'm on a DATE!!!!  Do you hear me?

	But the seat didn't hear him and kept yammering on.

	"Off we go, then," Hayao said.

	Minako peered out the window.  "Are you sure I shouldn't bring my 
sword, Tsubasa?"

	"The theatre staff tends to take that poorly," Tsubasa said.

	Makoto laughed.  "You have a sword?"

	"I'm a ninja," Minako said.  "I serve Naoko-sama now."

	Makoto laughed.  "Can you turn invisible?"

	"I'm not quite that good," Minako replied.  "So what movie are we off 
to?"

	"Hmm, we need to pick one," Gosunkugi said.

	"Ninjas versus Superspies!" Minako said.  "It's gonna be GREAT!"

	Makoto laughed.  "Alright.  We can try that."

	"Okay," Gosunkugi said. 

	"Sure," Tsubasa said, a little surprised.  "Off we go, then."

	"Ma'am.  Mikado-san is having his chaffeur following us.  Would you 
like me to lose them?" Hayao asked.

	Makoto's eyes widened.  "Hmm, do you think the four of us are pretty 
visible to him?"

	"I can see the grim expression on Mikado-san's face, so yes."

	She smiled.  "Very good.  Alright, try to lose them, and while we're 
doing that, the four of us will make out in the back seat."

	Tsubasa's eyes widened.

	"Ahh, to distract his driver so he crashes and burns?" Minako asked.

	"So Mikado crashes and burns," Tsubasa said.

	"Well, if you all don't mind," Makoto said, suddenly feeling a little 
exploitative.

	"I'll know if I mind once I see how well Tsubasa can kiss," Minako 
said, then grabbed him and pulled him over onto her.  

	Gosunkugi turned beet red.  "I...I don't mind."

	Makoto leaned over and kissed him gently, feeling somewhat guilty with 
herself for doing so.  From the way he responded, she felt less guilty, as 
he clearly was enjoying it.  I shouldn't do this just to spite Mikado, she 
thought.  

	Gosunkugi felt himself getting flushed, and his brain shutting down.  
Beautiful woman, kissing me, can't be real, all is just a dream, he 
thought.  

	He felt her arms wrap around him, and then his brain shut down 
completely.  Makoto felt him go limp in her arms, and she broke off the 
kiss.  "Hikaru-san, are you okay?" she asked.  Oh man, he must have 
forgotten to breathe or something, she thought.

	His eyes snapped open, and his gaze met hers with a strength she did 
not expect of him.  "Now that was a kiss worth dying and living again," he 
said.

	She blushed.  "Actually, that wasn't even close to my best.  I 
just...I'm sorry.  I was just trying to make Mikado jealous.  I mean, I 
think you're a nice guy, but..."

	"Then show me your best," he said, smiling.  "And we can call it even.  
And I don't mind helping you make Mikado jealous."

	"You're not mad at me?"

	"I understand," he said, then leaned towards her.  "Shall we resume?"

	There was something strange in how he carried himself. She had to 
admit she liked confident men, and suddenly, he was very confident.  
"Alright," she said, glancing back and seeing Mikado glaring.  "Let's see 
if we can get him to scream."

	She leaned forward for another gentle kiss, but to her surprise, he 
leaned in and wrapped his arms around her in a firm, if not strong, 
embrace, and kissed her with an amount of passion, if not expertise she 
would never have imagined possible from him.  She kissed back 
enthusiastically for a while.

	Eventually, he broke it off, and she just stared in surprise.  
"Whoah."

	"I had always wondered what Sif's kisses would taste like, but I never 
thought I would be so lucky as to find out," Gosunkugi said.  

	She thought about asking what exactly that meant, then decided best to 
focus on making out while the making out was still good.  The name echoed 
in her mind.  Someone I met once?  She was sure she'd heard that name 
before.  "Wow, you're better than I thought," she said.

	"Thank you," he said.  "And again?"

	"Yes!"

	They were still making out when they reached the movie theatre.  
Gosunkugi got out, held the door open for Makoto, then swooned.

	I must have overheated his brain or something, Makoto thought.  She 
rushed over and helped him back up.  "Are you okay?"

	"I'm fine," he said weakly.  "Umm...are we at the theatre?"

	I must have overdone it, she thought.  "Yes, we are."

	"Okay," he said.  "Let's go see the movie."

************

	Usagi tried to figure out why exactly she was tagging along with 
Mikado.  To keep him from killing Gosunkugi, she reminded herself.  And it 
kept her from sitting around the temple being depressed over her own 
stupidity.  

	Mikado whispered to her, "Are they holding hands?"
	
	Usagi strained her sight, trying to see.  "I can't tell through the 
people and chairs."

	He frowned.  "Can you sneak forward and check?"

	Might as well, she thought.  She crept up and looked.  Both couples 
were indeed holding hands.  This made her feel a surge of jealousy.  How 
can they be so cuddly when I'm all alone? she asked herself.  She crept 
back.  "Yes, both couples."

	"I could care less about the other one.  We have to do something," he 
said.  "Perhaps we should make out to make them jealous."

	Normally, Usagi never would have said yes, but she was feeling very 
frustrated, so she said, "Alright."

	Twenty minutes of making out convinced her that Mikado's real calling 
in life definitely would be to be some woman's concubine.  He had a lot of 
flaws, but he was definitely good at praising your good features, making 
out, and being romantic.  If he wanted to be, anyway.  

	When they stopped, however, she felt even more guilty.  Now I'm 
betraying both of them, she thought.  Why am I making out with this guy?  
Besides how good he is at it, anyway...

	"They haven't even noticed," he hissed through his teeth.

	"They don't know we're here and we're behind them," Usagi said, 
suddenly realizing the flaw in the plan herself.

	"Hmm, I will have to think of a clever plan," Mikado replied.

	I hate my life, Usagi thought.  I'm just utterly pathetic today.  I 
should just leave.

	Thought was not translated into action.

**********

Setsuna answered the door.  "Hello?"

Ryouga said, "Is Ami here?"  Please let this be the right place, he 
thought.

Bloody hell, Setsuna thought.  Got to get rid of him before the 
Hibikis see him and announce our engagement or something.  "Ami went home 
yesterday, Ryouga."

"AAAAAAHHH!!!!!!"  Once he'd screamed, he felt better.  "But I was 
just at her house, and they said she was at your house."

Setsuna frowned.  "We'd better go and check, okay?  As she didn't tell 
me she was coming over."

He nodded.  "Alright.  I think her house is this way..."

Setsuna sighed and grabbed his hand, dragging him the other direction.  
"THIS way."

"Oh, right."

They walked down the street in silence for a while, until a half-
white, half-black dog came barking down the street up to Ryouga, then began 
licking him affectionately.  Ryouga smiled.  "How are you, Shirokuro?" he 
asked.

The dog looked vaguely familiar to Setsuna.  "You know her?" she 
asked.

"Yeah, Shirokuro is our family dog.  She spends a lot of time tracking 
us and delivering messages."  He checked a small box hanging from her neck.  
"Hey, a letter from mom!"

Blast it, I can't let him read that, she thought.  "Hey, is that Ami 
over there?" she said, pointing.  

Ryouga turned and looked, putting the letter down on Shirokuro's back 
while he peered off into the bustling people on the street.  "Where?"

Setsuna quickly grabbed and stuffed the letter into Shirokuro's mouth  
while he wasn't looking, then said, "No, wait, that isn't Ami.  Sorry."

Ryouga turned back and saw Shirokuro chewing up the letter.  "Bad 
dog!" he said.

Shirokuro looked mournfully at Setsuna, who promised herself she'd get 
the dog a nice treat to make up for it.  

Ryouga quickly wrote out a letter explaining that the letter to him 
had been eaten, then sent Shirokuro off to find her mother.  Shirokuro 
bounded off the way they had come.  "She normally doesn't do that."

"Perhaps she isn't getting fed often," Setsuna replied.

"Hmm, true.  I should have given her something.  Well, I will next 
time," Ryouga said.

They soon came to Ami's house.  Setsuna got Ryouga up to the door.  
"Okay, there you go."

"Umm...can you wait in case she's not home and I need help finding her 
somewhere else?"

"Okay," Setsuna said.  "I'll go hide in the bushes over there."  She 
concealed herself in the bushes near the door.

	Ami answered the door.  "Hi, Ryouga," she said, smiling.

	"Umm...hi...I...um...ahahaha..."

	Oh, THAT's why he wanted to find Ami, Setsuna thought.  He must want 
to ask her out.  

	"How are you today?"

	"I'm fine," Ryouga gulped.  "Would you like...to...um...this thing..."

	"Are you okay?" Ami asked, looking a little concerned.  "You aren't 
making any sense."

	"Tell her you want to ask her to the festival at Rei's temple this 
Friday," Setsuna whispered from inside the bush to Ryouga.

	"Tell her..." Ryouga began, then shook his head.  "Umm...there's a 
festival thing at Rei's temple thing and I was wondering if you'd like to 
go to the thing with me.  Thing."  I suck, he thought.  A lot.

	Ami thought his bashfulness was kind of sweet.  "Sure I'd love to."

	The word 'love' struck in Ryouga's head like a siren.  Love. Love.  
Love.  She said 'love' to me, he thought.  He felt so happy, he could 
explode.  "Right.  I'll be here to love you...to pick you up at six on 
Friday, then!"  He hoped that was a good time to pick her up.  "I'd better 
go home and get ready, so I can make it back here by then."

	Ami laughed.  "Alright.  See you then."

	Then Ryouga turned and ran off laughing maniacally down the street.

	Ami turned to the bush.  "Should I call you Cyrano, Setsuna?"

	Setsuna stepped out of the bush.  "Just trying to help him out."

	"Does he know about the engagement?" Ami asked.

	Setsuna sighed and stared at the ground.  "No.  I don't want to marry 
him."

	"Well, he's a nice guy, but I wouldn't want an arranged marriage 
either.  Still, you'd better tell him soon."

	Setsuna said, "Assuming they even..."  She sighed again.  "I'm just 
really confused about what exactly is going on.  I didn't think I HAD a 
past in this life before I woke up one day, and instead of being in the 
time tunnel, I was a teenage girl like I'd planned to make myself into.  
But now I'm starting to remember bits and pieces and...well, it kind of 
bothers me."

	"Now you know how Ranma feels," Ami said softly.

	"Ugh.  At least Ruby wasn't a total flake.  I have this dim memory of 
going to a SMAP concert and just...I wanted one of them to marry me."  She 
blushed.  "I don't want to turn into a flaky, hormone ridden teenager!"

	Too late for that, given how you act over Ranma, Ami thought.  "Well, 
you'll just have to...umm...come to terms with your...I'm not sure what the 
right term is."

	"And having these parents hanging over me is just such a drag," 
Setsuna said.  "I LIKE having my own place, and I don't want a forced 
engagement."

	"Want to come in for a while and have some tea and talk?" Ami asked.

	"Sure," Setsuna said.  "I could drink a whole pot."

	Ami had a feeling that wouldn't be a good idea.

**********

	Gosunkugi felt like his brain was going to melt.  He was pretty sure 
he was blanking out every time Makoto kissed him.  But it was a glorious 
feeling, so it didn't stop him kissing her again.  As a result, the whole 
evening felt like stop motion photography with a little too much stop and 
not enough motion.  

	Finally, they were in Makoto's car, in front of his house.  They'd 
dropped Minako off at her place and Tsubasa at his, and it was just them.  
She was seated in his lap, and he felt like he was going to die.  In a good 
way.  She kissed him again, then said, "I...I had a really good time."

	"Me too," he squeaked out.  What I remember of it, he thought.  "I 
hope we can go out again some time."

	"Didn't we already plan to go the temple this Friday for the 
festival?" she asked.

	"Oh, yeah, we did."  He blushed.  "See you soon, then."

	"Give me a call tomorrow, okay?"

	"Will do," he said.

	She opened the door and he got out.  He could see Mikado's car parked 
down the street.  "Umm...he won't..." Gosunkugi began.

	"I can handle Mikado.  See you, Hikaru-kun."

	"See you, Kino-san," he replied.

	"Call me Makoto," she replied.

	"See you, Makoto-san," he replied, smiling a little.  

	He could feel his heart pounding as he walked into his house.  I'm 
falling in love, he thought.  Or maybe I'm just going to die.  He prayed 
this would all come out good, though the bitter, cynical part of him 
reminded him this had all started because Makoto wanted to use him to make 
Mikado mad.  But he couldn't believe anyone would be as affectionate as she 
had been, simply to irritate someone else.  She even invited me to use her 
first name, he thought.  That has to mean something, right?

**********

	Usagi fell down in bed.  Well, at least I kept Mikado from killing 
Gosunkugi, she thought.  And someone had a good time, even if it wasn't me.  
Of course, now Shampoo is going to come and lecture me.

	She was right.  "Where have you been all day?" Shampoo asked.  "We 
were supposed to spar, and there's a lot of work to be done to get ready 
for the festival."

	"I'm sorry.  I had to go make sure Gosunkugi didn't get killed."

	"Killed by what?"

	Usagi explained the whole situation to Shampoo.

	Shampoo finally said, "You've got to get a grip on yourself, Usagi.  
There's more to life than just boys.  Or girls.  We have a lot of work to 
do helping Hino-san get ready.  Maybe it'll take your mind off all this."

	"I hope so," Usagi said.

	"Neither of them is worth tearing yourself apart over," Shampoo said.  
"Or making out with some guy just because he's there."

	She sighed.  "The day started out so well..."

	"You can do better.  If I have to beat you to death," Shampoo replied.  
"Now, come and spar with me."

	"Okay," Usagi said.  A good round of fighting would clear her mind, 
she hoped.

********* 

	Kunou stared at the chessboard.  Everytime he reached for a piece, his 
sister was grinning at him like he was doing something stupid.  Probably 
she was just bluffing him, but he'd lost enough games to her to know that 
if he was doing something stupid, she'd also smile like that.  Am I not 
seeing something, he asked himself.

	Kodachi idly tugged on her own ponytail.  "Any time this century, 
brother dear."

	Hearing footsteps, Kunou seized the chance to delay having to make his 
move.  "It sounds like Chiba-san has arrived with my beloved."

	Mamoru soon rounded the corner with Michiru, who was carrying her 
violin case.  Mamoru was himself loaded down with gardening equipment and 
dressed in clothing he could afford to get dirty.  "Good day, Kunou-san, 
Kodachi-san."

	"Good day, Chiba-san.  I see you're ready for work.  Good day, my 
aqua-tressed maiden of my heart."

	Mamoru nodded.  "It is, unfortunately, time to pull up weeds and other 
intruders."

	"Smite them well," Kunou replied.  

	Michiru said, "Good day, Kunou."  She came over, and he rose and 
pulled her out a chair as Mamoru went to go work on weed pulling.  "I 
didn't know you played chess," she said.

	"I am a man of many talents."

	"And master of none," Kodachi replied.

	He frowned at his sister, then decided on a move.  Michiru shook her 
head and Kodachi smiled as he reached for the pawn.  He frowned, then moved 
his hand over to move his Queen's Bishop.  This time, Kodachi frowned, and 
Michiru smiled, so he moved it across the board to take one of Kodachi's 
pawns.  "Check."

	Michiru said, "So what did you want to talk to me about, Kunou-san?"

	"Please, call me Tatewaki," he replied.  "There is a festival this 
Friday at the Hikawa Shrine.  I was hoping you would attend it with me."

	"Please say yes, so I don't have to escort him," Kodachi said.

	"Alright," Michiru said.  If I say no, my parents will make me say 
yes, anyway.  Although it will probably be fun, anyway.  "Will you be 
picking me up?"

	"Ahh, that reminds me," Kodachi said.  "Don't let him move the pieces 
while I'm gone, Kaiou-san."

	Michiru nodded.  "I'm sure Tatewaki-san would not lower himself to 
cheat."

	"I do not NEED to cheat to defeat you, sister."

	"Ahh, my brother the dreamer," Kodachi replied.  Then she headed over 
to Mamoru.  "Are you busy this Friday, my love?"

	Mamoru wasn't busy, but wasn't sure if he wanted to assert he was.  
While he had come to find Kodachi more pleasant company than he expected, 
he was not even slightly in love with her, while she quite clearly had a 
massive crush on him.  He didn't know what to do about it, as he feared she 
would likely overreact to any overt rejection.  

	Still, a festival would make a good break from his studies.  
"Alright," he said.  "Yes, I'm free."

	"Good," she said.  "You will need to come and pick me up, then."

	He nodded.  "Alright."

	"I must crush my brother now."  She kissed him on the cheek.  "Until 
later."

	"Goodbye for now," he replied.  

	Kodachi came back, sat down, and took Kunou's bishop with one of her 
knights.  "Thank you, brother."

	He sighed.  "I will yet triumph."

	He did not triumph, though he fought a closer game than usual.  When 
he was done, he turned to Michiru, "I am sorry to have made you wait.  I'm 
afraid this took longer than I expected."

	"Usually, I crush him much more quickly," Kodachi said.  "Well, I must 
be off to my hairdresser.  See you both later."

	"Well, it wasn't too long a wait," Michiru said.  She'd found the 
chess game somewhat interesting.  She'd dabbled in chess, though she had 
never put any serious effort into improving her game.

	"You see..."  He glanced over at Mamoru.  "Let us go to the 
conservatory and play together."

	"Alright," Michiru said, rising and following Kunou to the 
conservatory.  "So what shall we play?"

	Kunou selected a piece, then sat down, and they began to play.  "You 
play divinely as always, my love."

	"Thank you, Tatewaki-san," she replied.  "So what did you want to ask 
me about that Mamoru can't hear?"

	He blinked, then said, "You are as wise as you are lovely.  I am 
somewhat concerned about he and my sister.  While I will not pretend to be 
very astute at such matters, I begin to suspect that she is rather more 
enamored of him than he is of her, and I am not sure what to do about it."

	"I think it's really their business, unless you think Kodachi is 
likely to do something self-destructive once she notices."  And I know 
exactly how Mamoru feels, Michiru thought.  I would not mind you for a 
friend, but even if I was interested in men, you are not what I would be 
looking for.  "Is she likely to?"

	"My sister tends to respond very poorly to not getting what she wants, 
if she had her heart set on it.  I fear she will likely do something 
crazy."

	"Well, I'll think about it," Michiru said.

	"Thank you," he said, finishing the piece.  "Hmm, what to play 
next..."

	They played on for several hours, discussing many things of interest 
to them, but of little relevance to this tale, and then Kunou said, "That 
is enough music for one day for me."

	She nodded.  "Alright.  Will we be dining soon?"

	He nodded.  "Yes, let us go and eat."

	They had a pleasant meal, and eventually, Mamoru took Michiru home.  
As they were driving home, she asked, "How have things been going with your 
guardians?"

	"Well, we have a long way to go," Mamoru replied.  "And with both 
Ranma and Ukyou gone for the summer, it's just me and Gosunkugi at the 
moment."  He shook his head.  "I'm glad there's a fair number of the Senshi 
awakened, because I don't think the two of us are ready for prime time, so 
to speak."

	"Well, what with Usagi depressed and Rei gone and Setsuna's parents 
shown up to ride herd on her, we're not at our best either."

	"'Shown up'?"

	"I thought they must be dead or something, but they've resurfaced and 
apparently want her to marry Ryouga."

	"..."	

	"I think about that, and suddenly being engaged to Kunou doesn't seem 
QUITE as much of a burden," Michiru says.

	"Still not happy about it?" Mamoru asked.

	She blinked.  "I didn't mean to say that."

	"Oh, I could tell," Mamoru replied.  "Both of the Kunous don't seem 
too perceptive about how other people think, sometimes."

	She sighed.  "What are we going to do about them?"

	"I wish I had some advice for you," he said.  "Although at least Kunou 
isn't likely to snap if you did dump him."

	"I hope not," Michiru said.  "I don't want to marry him, but unless I 
find someone else suitable by the time I graduate, my parents are going to 
insist on it."

	"Which is hard to do when you're engaged to someone."

	"Exactly."  She sighed.  "He means well, but he's just not my type."

	"So what is your type?" Mamoru asked.

	"Going to see if you qualify?" she teased.

	"Maybe," he said, smiling confidently back.

	"Hard to define in words.  I need someone intelligent and carefree.  I 
like people who are brave and kind of bold and willing to take risks.  I 
tend to be pretty cautious myself, but..."

	Mamoru nodded.  "I understand what you mean."  He pulled up into the 
driveway of her home.  "Well, good luck," he said.

	"Thank you," she replied.  "And you too."

	She is rather attractive, he thought, as he drove home.  But going 
after her could get me in a lot of trouble, possibly with no payoff.  This 
would require some thought.

*********

	Tsubasa was in the middle of changing out of his mailbox and into his 
pajamas for bed when there was a knock from inside his closet.  He blinked, 
said, "Hold on, I'm coming," then finished changing.  To his surprise, it 
was Ryouga.

	Ryouga asked, "Why do you have all those costumes on your...hey, 
that's a closet."

	Tsubasa gave Ryouga the sort of stare he often got himself.  "Umm, you 
didn't know?"

	"I could have sworn I'd entered a porch..."  He sighed.  "Please tell 
me it's not already Friday."

	"It's not Friday, and you still have a while until it is."

	Ryouga gave a great sigh of relief.  "I need to get home and change 
for a...a...ahahahah...a date!"

	Tsubasa says, "With who?"

	"A..a...Mizuno-san!" he managed to babble out.

	"Going to the festival?"

	Ryouga nodded.  "But I have to get home and get changed.  But at this 
rate, I'll never make it."

	Tsubasa said, "Hmm, if you're willing to owe me a favor, I can help 
you get dressed up now.  Will that help?"

	Ryouga's eyes widened.  "You'll do that for me?"

	"I may need a martial artist's help some day," he replied.  "And your 
shirt is begging me to help you."

	"Uh, right," Ryouga replied.

	"Anyway, let's get to work."

*********

	Tsubasa held up the mirror.  "So, do you like it?"

	Ryouga looked at the outfit.  "Wow, you can really sew."

	"I have been making costumes for a very long time," Tsubasa replied.  
"Anyway, take this with my blessing."

	I bet this'll really make Ami smile, Ryouga thought.  "Thanks.  
Just...ummm...whenever you need the return favor, if you can find me, I'll 
be glad to help."

	"Alright.  See you at the festival."

	He showed Ryouga to the front door, then watched him wander off into 
the neighbor's backyard.  Well, maybe see you at the festival, he thought.

*********

	While he missed Rei every day, Grandpa Hino had to admit that Jiko was 
making a pretty good substitute.  She knew her rites well, she did what she 
was told without complaining, and she gave him respect, something he had to 
practically hold Rei over the Sacred Fire to get from her.  He hoped she 
would stick around a while after the festival, at least until Rei returned.

	"Hmm, I think we should string the lanterns across here."  He pointed 
from the porch of the temple over to one of the trees in the yard.  
"Although it'll mean going up on a ladder."

	"Right, lanterns go here," Jiko said, scribbling down a crude map and 
annotations.  He'd noticed she tended to write down all the instructions 
she got, and as a result, she had yet to screw anything up.  It was slowing 
things down a bit, but he'd decided the reliability was worth putting up 
with it.

	Shampoo came round the corner and asked, "Hino-sama, can you show us 
how to assemble the screens again?"

	"I already showed you once," he said, feeling a little aggravated. It 
was a very simple task.

	"Well, we're having problems," she replied.

	"Okay, okay.  Jiko, can you go get the lanterns and start stringing 
them up?"

	"Yes, sir," she said, and bowed, then went off to the storage shed.

	Shampoo took Grandpa into the room where she and Usagi were assembling 
screens.  "Actually, Hino-sama, Shampoo just wanted to ask you if you're 
sure you can trust this Jiko.  There's something about her that makes my 
hairs stand up."

	Grandpa frowned.  "She hasn't done anything wrong.  Why are you so 
suspicious of her?"

	"It just seems strange to Shampoo that she would suddenly show up like 
this, right as Rei is gone.  It's an old thief trick."

	"I am _quite_ sure she is not a thief," Grandpa said stiffly.  "She's 
been very helpful to me."

	Shampoo sighed. "Shampoo just want to make sure no one takes advantage 
of a kind old man like you."

	He softened.  Shampoo was too paranoid, but she was a nice kid, after 
all, and she'd repaid his hospitality with a lot of hard work.  She just 
didn't have his acute ability to judge character, he thought.  "Well, I'm 
quite certain she's as innocent as you or Usagi, but I will keep your 
thoughts in mind."

	"I think you're right, Grandpa," Usagi said.  "She seems nice to me."

	"Shampoo will be keeping an eye out," she said.

	"You do that," Grandpa said.  "Now, about these screens..."

	"Oh, Shampoo just made that up so that we could talk to you in 
private.  Shampoo isn't that stupid."

	Just that paranoid, Grandpa thought.  "Well, I'll be getting back to 
working with Jiko then."

	After he left, Shampoo asked Usagi, "Did you sense any magic on him?"

	She shook her head.  "She might be conning him, but he's magic free.  
I think."  She looked at the Rainbow Crystal she was holding.  "Assuming I 
actually knew what I was doing, which I'm not so sure of."

	"Shampoo STILL doesn't trust that woman."

	"Well, you can keep an eye on her while I finish these screens."

	"Shampoo will do that."

************

	Nephrite knocked on the door of Osa-P.  Exquisitely dressed as usual, 
Mrs. Osaka answered the door. "Hello, Mr. Clancy," she said.

	He smiled.  "You're lovely as ever."

	Her small flush told him all he needed to know.  "Thank you."

	She ushered him into her office, then passed him the folder with the 
printouts of the information.  "I can get you what you need through these 
people, once I've had time to examine your gems and take appropriate 
measurements."

	He nodded.  "Are you sure they can match the colors?"

	"They're very good at it.  It won't fool a professional for very long, 
but if you're mainly wanting to put up fakes for public display to reduce 
the theft risk, then this should be fine."

	They talked business a while longer, and when that was over, he 
considered his next gambit. It had been a long time since he had been able 
to take a lover or even just have a casual fling, for it was hard to find 
someone who would not betray him.  It would be quite easy to just make her 
want him with magic, but that was crude, and you ended up with infatuated 
morons. And he wanted to be sure that Emerald would not be able to make fun 
of him by saying he NEEDED magic. Probably she would prove suitable for 
nothing more than a source of relaxation for himself, but it was possible 
she was made of sterner stuff and might prove useful in other ways to him 
as well.  Certainly, she seemed to have good business sense and a skill 
quite useful in a kingdom of gemstones.  

	He kissed her hand and asked, "Are you busy tomorrow night?"

	"Oh, I don't think I'll have this ready by then," she began.

	"I was thinking dinner."

	Her eyes widened.  "I...yes...dinner...that would be good.  Yes.  I 
can do dinner."

	He smiled.  "Very good.  How does seven sound?"
	
	"It sounds great," she said.  

	"I'll see you then, then," he replied, then headed for the door. "Good 
evening."

	"Good evening," she said, a little breathless, and watched him go.

	
************

	Ryouga stared intently at the door.  You will be the right door, he 
thought.  You WILL.  You must.  He knocked on the door, and a smelly old 
man in an undershirt and pants which had seen better days, like the Johnson  
Administration, answered the door.  "You here for a little fun, boy?"

	Ryouga screamed and ran for his life.

	I win again, the old man thought.


***********

	Usagi looked over at Naru, who was just picking away listlessly at her 
bowl of stew.  Usagi asked, "Is something wrong, Naru?"

	"No, I'm fine," Naru said.  "The food is really good, but I'm just not 
hungry.  Thanks for having me over tonight, Usagi."

	After eating some more of her stew to give herself time to think, 
Usagi asked, "It's not the date, is it?"

	"I just..."  Naru sighed.  "I have this sort of crush on him, you 
know, and I ought to have known better, but I just..."

	"Well, he is more your Mom's age," Usagi said.  "I dunno if your 
mother would have let you date him if he was interested in you."

	"It's just like...when he smiles at me, there's like nothing else in 
the universe but us."  She took a mouthful of stew and stared off into 
space as she chewed, then said, "He's a hunk, too."

	"Well, he just doesn't know what he's missing," Usagi said.

	Naru smiled.  "Thank you, Usagi."

	"Are you coming to the festival this Friday?" Usagi asked.

	"I dunno.  I don't really want to come by myself."

	"Well, I'll be there by myself too," Usagi said.  "Since Rei and Ranma 
are gone."  She frowned for a few seconds, then perked back up.  "So we can 
just go around together when I'm not busy helping out.  It'll be fun."

	"Okay," Naru said.  "We need to do more stuff together."

	"Yeah," Usagi replied.  "Like when we were little."

	"Just don't get stuck up any apple trees this time," Naru teased.

	"Hey, you're the one who chased the cat up the tree, then cried until 
I tried to get her down for you."

	"It seems like a million years ago," Naru said.  "I guess we've grown 
up a lot since then."

	"But they were good days."

	"Yeah."

************

	Luna lounged in the sun on the porch of the Mizuno house, being lazy.  
A shadow cut off her sun.  "Mrowr," she muttered.

	"Hey, Luna, you planning to go to the festival this Friday?" he asked.

	"I don't think they invite cats," she replied.

	"That's what human form is good for."

	She blinked.  "Hmm, didn't think of that.  Well, alright, I'm not 
really doing anything too important that day."

	"Great," he said.  "See you then.  I'm off to get me some fish."

	"Try not to end up in the pound again."

	"Har de har har."

************

	Setsuna moved down the aisle, grabbing as much pasta as she could 
afford.  I can't believe how much those three eat, she thought.  I could 
live for a month on what they've eaten the last few days.  

	"Hey, Setsuna!" someone said.

	Setsuna turned and saw a short green haired girl with thick gold-
rimmed glasses smiling at her.  "I haven't seen you since junior high!  How 
are you doing?"  Setsuna had no idea whatsoever as to who this woman might 
be.

	"Oh, I've been doing pretty well.  I'm attending Juuban High and 
working part-time for Dr. Tofu," Setsuna said, trying to think of some 
subtle way to extract the girl's name from her without making it obvious 
she had no clue who the girl was.  "How about you?"

	"I'm going to Senkai.  I could hardly believe I got in, after I fell 
asleep during my exams."  She sighed.  "Have you heard from Miki?"

	Setsuna shook her head.  "Not in quite a while."

	She sighed.  "That's too bad.  I heard he went off to Ohtori and got 
in some kind of trouble or something, but the rumors were pretty vague."

	Setsuna tried to remember Miki and just got a mental image of blue 
hair and the vague idea of a twin sister.  And that she and his twin sister 
had beaten each other up once for some reason.  I wonder which one of us 
won, Setsuna thought.  "Haven't heard a thing."

	"Well, don't be a stranger.  Come by and see me some time, won't you?"

	"Sure," Setsuna said.  "Where are you living now?"

	She got an address and a phone number, and gave hers to the girl, but 
still hadn't managed to winkle a name out of her before the girl left.  She 
stared at the address, and wondered how many other people knew her that she 
couldn't remember.


***********

	Tsubasa walked down the street with Minako.  "I'm sorry we have to 
walk so far," he said.  

	"Are you sure it's traditional for the men to attend this festival 
disguised as giant ceramic tanuki?" Minako asked her date again.

	"Yes," Tsubasa said.  "It keeps the spirits from pestering them."

	She sighed.  Please, no one take a picture of me with the giant 
tanuki, she thought.

	Then a black and yellow streak erupted out of an alleyway and crashed 
into them, shattering the ceramic tanuki, which left Tsubasa dressed in 
just shorts and a t-shirt.  "Aaaah, my tanuki!!!!!" he screamed.

	Ryouga pulled himself off Tsubasa.  "Oh, man, I'm sorry, I sort of 
was, ummm...  Running to try not to be late."

	"Well, you're running away from Ami's house.  Or the temple.  Or 
anything else useful."

	"Umm, can you help me find Ami's house?" Ryouga begged.

	"Do you know how much time I put into this tanuki?" Tsubasa demanded 
angrily.  "The clay alone cost me a fortune!"

	"For clay?"

	"Given my allowance, yes," Tsubasa said.

	Minako said, "C'mon, Tsu-chan, we should be nice and help him out."

	Tsubasa grumbled irritably, then said, "Alright, alright.  But I can't 
go to the festival like this."

	Minako said, "Oh, I can fix that."  She threw an eggshell grenade to 
the ground, and pepper spilled all over the concrete.  "Okay, wrong 
grenade, let's try again."

	"Wait, we..."

	The next grenade went off correctly.  Ryouga felt himself being yanked 
around, and when the smoke cleared, Tsubasa was dressed in Ryouga's usual 
clothing, and Ryouga's backpack felt much lighter.  Minako said, "There, 
now we're all dressed up.  Let's get Ryouga his date and get moving."

	"Umm, that's my only clothing," Ryouga said.

	"Well, he can give it back after the festival," Minako said.  "You did 
break his tanuki."

	I'm just afraid I'll get lost before I can get it back, Ryouga 
thought.

************

	People bustled about under the soft glow of the lanterns as the stars 
of the summer sky twinkled high above.  Usagi smiled at two hesitant young 
children.  "You want to try the goldfish catching game?" she asked.

	"Umm...okay," the little boy said nervously.

	Usagi showed him how it was done, carefully catching a goldfish with 
the flat net and popping it into a bag.  Then she passed the net to him.  
He broke it the first time, and dropped his fish five times, but with her 
patient urgings, he finally got it into a bag.  

	"Thanks!" he said.

	She smiled.  "You're welcome."

	His parents ushered him off, and Setsuna said to Usagi, "You're really 
good with kids."

	"You think so?" Usagi asked.  "Thanks.  I'm glad you've come."

	"Well, it was better to come here than to have to spend Friday night 
with my..."  She sighed.  "I liked living alone.  And I don't want to be 
married to that stupid Ryouga."

	"He's not that stupid."

	"His parents are driving me nuts; I practically have to lead them 
around on a leash.  I half-expect they'll vanish by the time I get back."

	Usagi sighed.  "I'm sorry."

	"I've half a mind to skip town and go looking for Ranma and just never 
come back to my old house.  But then they'd probably starve to death 
looking for the kitchen, and I'd feel guitly."

	Man, Setsuna really sounds bitter, Usagi thought.  "Well, my relief 
will show up soon.  Naru and I were going to go round together, if you want 
to join us."

	Setsuna smiled.  "Yes, I'd love that.  Thanks."

	"No problem."

*******

	Ami walked along with Ryouga, periodically giving him a yank on the 
sleeves as he started to wander off.  They ended up at a booth being manned 
by a green-haired priestess she didn't recognize.  The priestess said, "We 
have many charms for sale.  Would you like one?"

	"Lucky charms?" Ryouga asked.

	"Well, we have love charms, and good luck charms, and charms for 
finding things which are lost," the priestess said.

	"What if I'm lost with it?"

	"Oh, our charms help people not get lost," the priestess assured her.

	"Are you a new miko here?" Ami asked.

	"I'm Jiko.  I'm helping out while Rei is gone," Jiko said.

	"Nice to meet you," Ami said.

	Ryouga decided to grab two love charms, three luck charms, and six 
finding lost things charms.  "How much will this cost?"

	"The first one is free because we want to help everyone be blessed by 
the spirits," Jiko said.  "Three hundred yen for every charm after that."

	Ryouga dug through his pockets.  "Umm...I don't have enough."  He put 
back most of the charms, and just took one of each.

	"Would you like a free one?" Jiko asked Ami.  

Ami shook her head.  "No thank you.  I make my own luck."

	"As you like," Jiko replied.

	Ryouga stashed the charms in his pockets, and walked on with Ami to 
enjoy more of the festival.

********

	Naru had deliberately come separately from her mother and Mr. Clancy, 
as she didn't want a reminder of them dating.  As she walked up the steps, 
she found Ken walking up them as well.  "Oh, hi, Ken," she said.

	"Hey, you going to the festival too?"

	She nodded.  "Yes.  No date?"

	"No luck at all," he said.  "Although Tsu tried to convince me to come 
along with...oh, you're not gonna believe this."

	"He's coming with Minako, right?"

	"Oh yeah, he is.  But he claims Gosunkugi is coming with Kino Makoto 
of the Golden Pair."

	Naru nodded.  "Usagi told me they've started dating."

	Ken paused.  Then he said, "You're kidding me."

	"I'm serious.  Usagi saw a double date with Hikaru-kun and Kino-san 
and Minako and Tsubasa."

	Ken pulled off his hat, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it.  
"Dammit, what does a guy have to do in this town to get a DATE?  How come 
Gos and Tsu can get a date and I can't?"

	Naru thought for a moment.  "Well, would you like to go round with 
Usagi and I?  We were planning to go around together."

	"Sure," he said, offering her an arm.

	She took it, and they headed up the stairs.

*********

	Shampoo stood and watched mostly incompetent people shoot at the row 
of targets she'd set up.  The temple will get very rich from this, she 
thought.  Japanese people can't shoot half as well as most eight year olds 
back home.  

	Minako then walked up, picked up the bow, and fired off four 
bullseyes, while Tsubasa shelled out money for her chance.  "Ooh, do I win 
something?" she asked.

	Shampoo blinked, then passed her a gigantic teddybear.  "Here you go."

	She passed it to Tsubasa.  "Can you carry this?"

	"Sure," he said, taking the huge bear.

	"Did you mean to dress as Ryouga?" Shampoo asked Tsubasa.

	"He destroyed my Tanuki," Tsubasa replied.

	I won't ask any further, Shampoo thought.

*********

	Setsuna blinked as Naru and Ken came up to them.  "I didn't realize 
you two were coming together," she said.

	"Oh, we met on the stairs," Ken said.  

	Usagi passed the money bag at her booth over to her replacement, a 
girl named Mei.  "Well, glad to have you with us, Ken."

	"Thanks," he said.  

	The four of them began walking down the row of games and stands.  Naru 
stopped to look over some fans and bought herself one, and Setsuna got one 
as well.  "Are you hot?" Usagi asked Naru, a little worried.

	"No, I'm fine," she said, then swiped at a fly with her fan.  
"Although there do seem to be a lot of bugs tonight."

	Grandpa came round a corner.  "Hello, everyone.  I hope you're 
enjoying your visit!"

	Naru smiled.  "We're having fun, Hino-sama."

	"Good, good," he said.  "It's all been going very well, much better 
than last year.  I've kept had this nagging feeling of impending disaster, 
but it looks like I was worrying for nothing."

	"Oh, I'm sure everything will be fine," Usagi said.

	"It's very nice," Ken said.  

	"My new assistant has been very helpful," Grandpa Hino said.  "Along 
with Usagi and Shampoo.  Thank you, Usagi."

	Usagi smiled.  "You're welcome."

	"Well, I must be about and around," Grandpa said, taking off.  "See 
you later."

	"Bye!"

********

	Luna walked along in human form with Artemis.  "It's always strange 
having only two legs."

	"I know.  I can't see how humans can stand to do it all the time," he 
said.  "Though it has its uses."  He shrugged.  "So, now that we've found 
the Senshi, do you have any idea what we ought to do next?"

	"Well, I've been trying to help them train," Luna said.  "How is your 
work with Minako coming along?"

	"She has pretty good combat skills, but she's a total flake," Artemis 
replied, stopping at a stand to buy some squid on a stick.  "And...I dunno, 
I have the feeling something funny is going on with that girl she works 
for."

	"Really?  Naoko seems just a nice shy girl to me."

	"I dunno.  It's just like...something."  He sighed.  "I haven't said 
anything because I don't have any proof."

	"You're just being paranoid, Artemis.  Now, buy me some squid too."

	Artemis laughed.  "As you command, your highness."

********

	Mamoru sat with Kodachi, Michiru, and Kunou, listening to a group of 
drummers.  He had little musical talent or inclination himself, but he 
thought they were quite good.  His companions seemed to agree, as they were 
busy tapping out the time on their legs in unison as they listened, which 
he found quite amusing.

	Mamoru waved encouragingly to Gosunkugi as he went by with his date, a 
statuesque woman that Mamoru didn't recognize.  I'd have never thought he'd 
have that good looking a girlfriend, Mamoru thought.  Shows what I know.

	He looked over at Kodachi, who was wrapped up in the music and smiling 
in a manner more innocent than usual.  She wasn't an unattractive woman, 
and there were moments when he didn't regret her being attracted to him; 
this was one of them.  The problem was that most of the time, she radiated 
too much of an air of 'five inches from snapping' for him.

	Michiru was much more the sort of woman that he found attractive--
intelligent, elegant, well-spoken, talented, and beautiful.  But she wasn't 
available.  He cursed the fates again, and remembered a snippet of a song 
he'd heard a while back, about how if one couldn't be with the one you 
loved, you ought to love the one you're with.  He wasn't quite ready to 
take that advice.  Yet.

*********


	Nephrite walked up to Jiko's charm stand, arm-in-arm with Mrs. Osaka.  
A simple little spell ensured that she would remember a different 
conversation from the one which took place.  "Is all in readiness?" he 
asked.

	"Yes," Jiko replied.  "The charms will turn everyone who wears them 
into a rampaging zombie long enough to delay any action by the Sailors, and 
they've been selling very well.  All of us are in position, and Hino-sama 
is pretty much defenseless, since his two amazons are busy running stands 
and his granddaughter is gone.  My one concern is that there's so many 
people here that all of the Senshi and Guardians could be here and we'd 
never know until they popped up.  Also, I think Greed is going around 
pickpocketing people."

	Nephrite sighed.  "Delightful.  Well, if you see him, grab him and 
stop him."

	Jiko looked Mrs. Osaka up and down.  "Tired of your jailbait?"

	"I prefer mature women, rather than children like yourself or Molly."  
Nephrite smiled smugly.

	Jiko frowned.  "I am NOT a child."

	"Compared to me, all of you youma are children," Nephrite said.

	"How old are you?"

	"I am..."  Jiko paused.  "Fairly old.  You lose track of the years 
after a while."

	"I remember the Moon Kingdom and the Golden Kingdom of Earth.  Only 
Beryl and..." He paused.  "Have you seen Kunzite and Zoicite?"

	"No.  I'm assuming they're directing their efforts elsewhere."

	"Good, good.  But keep your eyes open."

	"I will.  I have no desire to see those idiots bungle up my hard 
work."  Jiko's voice was quite intense.  

	"Good.  Where is the priest?  I believe it's time to get his crystal 
and Shadow."

	"Wandering around, talking to people."

	"Right."  He picked up one of the charms and studied it.  "Hmm, 
interesting design.  Reminds me of Jadeite's work."

	"Is that good or bad?"  Jiko asked.

	"Good.  Jadeite was a fool, which lead to his destruction, but he did 
come up with some good ideas along the way."  Nephrite began to fiddle with 
the intricacies of the magical matrix within it.

	"What are you doing?" Jiko asked.

	"A test," Nephrite replied.  "My companion seems to have some magical 
potential.  I believe I will see how much today."

	"A good idea, as if she joins us, you won't have to make her a 
magically-induced zombie to get her to go out with you."

	Nephrite frowned.  "She is under the spell so as to make sure news of 
our conversation doesn't leak."

	"Uh huh."

	I can't decide if Emerald's arrogance or Greed's sheer stupidity is 
worse, but I dearly wish I could just kill both of them, Nephrite thought.  
"Whatever.  Carry on.  When the time comes, do what you have been told."

	"I obey the orders you give," Jiko replied.  "Just don't expect me to 
tolerate your strange whims."

	"My whims are your command," Nephrite said sharply, then strode away.

	I begin to understand why some women hate men, Jiko thought. 

********

	Haruka had a bad feeling that had been nagging her all day.  She'd 
gone out riding to try to get rid of it, but it just wouldn't go away.  
Finally, she'd decided to go looking for the other Senshi to see if they 
knew of anything, but they weren't home.  So she was now headed over to the 
temple to see if Usagi knew anything.

	As she approached, she could hear the sound of the festival in 
progress, so she parked her bike at the base of the steps and headed up the 
hill.  Up ahead of her, she spotted Mikado, walking with a green-haired 
bimbo on each arm.  She felt a little jealous that the man was trying to 
hog multiple women instead of spreading the wealth around.

	She also didn't like him on general principles, so she decided she was 
going to have to do something.  Not sure of what, she decided to tail him 
for a while.  

**********

	Ryouga handed Ami a giant stuffed pig.  "Here you go," he said.  The 
dart throwing game operator just stared at the darts wedged into the 
bullseye in disbelief.  

	She smiled.  "Now I'll have a big pig and a little pig."

	"You...umm...have a pig?" Ryouga asked nervously.  

	"He gets lost all the time," Ami replied.  "But he's a cute little 
pig.  Luna doesn't like him too much, but I think he's sweet."

	"You think I'm...umm...I mean...umm...right."  Ryouga laughed 
nervously.

	Ami wondered again if she looked additionally terrifying today for 
some reason.  She reached over and patted his shoulder.  "Are you sure 
you're okay?"

	"AHAHAHAHAHA.  I'm just fine!" Ryouga said, turning to face her as he 
spoke.  Turning back, he immediately managed to plant his face in Setsuna's 
chest.  She fell down with him on top of her.

	"Aaah, pervert!" Setsuna shouted and instinctively punted him skyward.  

	Naru and Ken stared in shock.  Usagi took off running to try to find a 
high point from which to jump and intercept him so he wouldn't crash down 
on a stall.  Ami said, "Setsuna, you just punted my date!"

	She said, "Was that Ryouga?"

	"What, you don't even know who you did that to?" Ken asked, backing up 
a bit.

	"All I knew was that some man just buried his face in my cleavage."

	"I hadn't realized you were that much taller than Ryouga," Naru said 
weakly.

	"Oh great.  My stupid parents want me to marry him, and now he's 
trying to get inside my dress at a festival."  Setsuna staggered to her 
feet.

	"It was an accident!" Ami protested.

	Far across the festival, Usagi leaped onto a tree branch, then hurled 
herself at Ryouga, intercepting him and landing on the temple roof.

	Setsuna sighed.  "Well, I'm sorry, then.  I won't do it again if he 
stays off my chest."

	Usagi soon returned with Ryouga, putting him down by Ami.  "There you 
go."

	"You're good," Ryouga said to Usagi.

	She smiled.  "Thanks."

	"We're about to head over to see the kabuki play," Naru said.  "You 
two want to join us?"

	"Sure," Ami said.  "If Ryouga doesn't mind."

	"Anything you want is fine with me," Ryouga replied.

	"Then let's go," Usagi said.

**********

	Gosunkugi wasn't sure why the dart game operator was beginning to cry, 
although the increasingly bare state of his shelves might have had 
something to do with it.  I only won three prizes, he thought.  "So what 
would you like for the next one, Makoto-san?" he asked her.

	"Hmm, see if you can win me the panda," she said.  "I'm sure you will.  
I've never seen someone so accurate with darts."

	He was pretty surprised himself.  Laying down his money, he took 
another handful of darts, but before he could throw any, he heard Mikado.

	Mikado said, "Enjoying your evening with Mr. Creepy?" to Makoto.

	"He's not creepy," Makoto said.  "Having fun with your whores?"

	The two women glared at her intensely.  Mikado said, "I don't have to 
buy myself a date."

	"So, they're inflatable," Makoto replied.

	Gosunkugi just tried to be inconspicuous and started throwing darts.  
He couldn't concentrate, and his throws went awry.  Mikado laughed.  "The 
target's over THERE, you know," he said, pointing.

	"Oh, I'd like to see YOU do better," Makoto said.

	He walked over, then turned to his ladies.  "What prizes would you 
like?"

	The one on the left, who was wearing a red kimono with yellow flowers, 
said, "I'd like a penguin."

	The other one, who wore a blue and yellow striped kimono carefully 
examined all the stuffed animals, then said, "I think I'd like the Kappa."

	Mikado's throwing was accurate enough to win the penguin.  He then got 
out more money to take another shot.

	While he was doing this, Makoto went over to Gosunkugi and whispered 
to him.  "You know you can do better than him.  Just don't let him rattle 
you."

	"He could snap me like a twig," Gosunkugi whispered back.

	"I won't let him," Makoto said.  "Just show him what you've got."

	Gosunkugi laid down more money, and took the darts, then stared at the 
target, trying to calm his jangled nerves.  Finally, he began to throw.  It 
wasn't as good as his earlier throws, but it was good enough.  He pointed 
up at the single, lone Kappa remaining on the shelves, deciding to be 
petty.  "Get me the Kappa."  He handed it to Makoto, who smiled.

	"What a lovely little Kappa," she said.  

	The second girl frowned and whispered in Mikado's ear.  "I had that 
Kappa reserved," he claimed.

	"No you didn't," Makoto said.

	"The lady said she desired it."

	"And I should care why?" Makoto replied.

	Mikado looked thoughtful.  "A contest then," he said, facing 
Gosunkugi.  "If I win, you will hand over the Kappa."

	"And if I win, you'll go away," Gosunkugi replied.

	"Done," Mikado said.

	He paid for another round of darts and began to throw.  His three 
darts scored 35 points.

	Gosunkugi took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and told his brain to 
dredge up any old magic it could remember to help him, then opened his 
eyes, and began to throw his darts one at a time, deliberately.  He scored 
an eighteen, a thirteen, and then a seventeen.  Not as good as the bullseye 
he'd hoped for, but enough to give him 48 points.  "I win," he said, in 
surprise.

	Makoto hugged him.  "See, I knew you could do it," she said.

	Mikado ground his teeth, obviously not having expected to lose.  
"You...you..."  He tried to think of some grounds on which he could 
challenge Gosunkugi again.

	Haruka came up to the kappa-less woman.  "So, why are you wasting your 
time with this guy who can't even win a Kappa for you when you could be out 
with someone like me?"  She smiled her usual confident smile.

	The girl looked her up and down.  "Hey, you're that famous racer, 
Ten'ou Haruka!"

	"Why yes, I am," Haruka said, grinning.

	"I remember you!" Mikado said.  "You cheated in our duel!"

	The girl let go of Mikado.  "I'm Kadama Keiko.  Nice to meet you, 
Ten'ou-san."

	Haruka took her arm.  "Oh, you can call me Haruka," she said.  "If you 
don't mind if I call you Keiko."

	"Oh, go right ahead."

	Makoto felt a little petty from the amount of pleasure she was getting 
from watching Mikado squirm.  But the guilt wasn't enough to make her want 
it to stop.  She turned to Gosunkugi.  "Would you like a victory kiss?"
	
	He blushed.  "I...uh...okay..."

	She swept him into her strong arms and kissed him fiercely.  She could 
almost hear the scowl on Mikado's face.  

	Before Mikado could say anything, however, a dark haired teenage boy 
ran by with Shampoo in hot pursuit.  Shampoo shouted, "He's a pickpocket!"

	The festival erupted into chaos as the pickpocket ran over to the ring 
toss stand, and hefted the entire stand, hurling it at Shampoo, who dodged 
desperately, crashing into a yen tossing stand, which fell over, hitting 
another stand.  People began to run about everywhere, shouting in panic.

	Mikado took off with his remaining woman, while Haruka, Keiko, 
Gosunkugi, and Makoto ran down the aisle away from the collapsing stands.  
Keiko said, "I can't believe it!  That boy must be one of those monsters I 
keep hearing about!"

	There was more than just one possible monster to worry about now, 
though, as Nephrite, seeing the spreading chaos caused by the brawl between 
Shampoo and the boy, who he knew was Greed, sent Jiko a psychic command to 
activate the charms.  Across the festival, many of the festivalgoers turned 
grey-skinned and sprouted fangs and claws and began to rampage.  Nephrite 
then headed off towards the priest, who he saw running into the temple.

	"Gosunkugi, go call the 'police'," Haruka said.  "Keiko, Kino-san, 
follow me!  I'll get you both to safety."

	Makoto said, "I'll go with Gosunkugi.  He'll need protection."

	Gosunkugi blushed, embarrassed.

	Haruka frowned, then nodded.  "Right.  My bike's down the hill.  This 
way, Keiko."

	They vanished into the sea of panicked people, while Gosunkugi headed 
towards the temple, which he hoped had a phone.  

********

	Usagi assessed the monster outbreak and quickly came up with a plan.  
"Okay, Setsuna, take Ken and Naru down the hill.  Ryouga, you can fight.  
Come with me.  Ami, go and get..."  

	In the time it took for her to make her plan, Ken and Naru had both 
turned into gray-skinned, fanged zombies, while Ryouga had, in fact, turned 
into Envy again.  Envy proceeded to grab Setsuna and punt her high into the 
sky.  "Turnabout is double play!"  He paused.  "That didn't come out 
right."

	Naru leaped at Usagi, who caught her by the hands, rolled, and tossed 
her into a stand selling bandanas.  She vanished under the pile for a few 
seconds.  

	Ken leaped at Ami, who desperately dived out of the way, landing 
inside another stall, only to find its operator had bought a good-luck 
charm and was now a zombie as well.  She got double teamed until Usagi 
brought her staff around and cracked the stall operator upside the head.  
"Transforming time," Usagi said.

	Envy looked around then decided it was time to go find the green-
haired bitch and slap her around some more, then find that punk Ryo and 
kill him.  He ran off into the crowd.

	Usagi soon beat Ken into the ground, then wrestled down Naru while Ami 
transformed.  "See if you can find a way to turn her back!" Usagi said.

	A quick analysis told Sailor Mercury the answer.  "The charms.  
They're turning people into zombies."

	Usagi ripped the charm off Naru's blouse, then threw it on the ground 
and stomped on it.  Naru turned back to normal, now unconscious.  Usagi's 
eyes narrowed.  "Jiko was selling these.  Maybe big sister is right and she 
is in with the youma."

	"Well, she might be just a pawn of them," Sailor Mercury said.  "You'd 
better transform."

	Usagi nodded and did so.  "Follow me," she said.  "And contact the 
others, though I'm sure they've noticed."

	"Right," Mercury said, and began doing so.

*********

	As the zombies closed in, Minako grabbed a handy pole, collapsing the 
awning over a stall as she did so, then began slapping zombies around with 
the improvised staff.  "Stay close to me," she said to Tsubasa.

	He looked out at the crowd of rampaging zombies.  "They've been 
possessed by evil spirits," he said.  "There's too many for me to try to 
exorcise them all.  We'd better get Hino-sama."

	"Right!"  She picked him up and began trying to leap stall to stall 
towards the temple.  Unfortunately, the third stall she landed on collapsed 
under her weight, and they ended up in a pile of wood and stuffed animals.  
"Only one choice!  Ninja invisibility!"

	"No, wait until..."

	Wise people do not slam down smoke grenades while piled under stuffed 
animals.  They also don't mistake the pepper grenade for the smoke grenade, 
either.  Minako and Tsubasa took time out for a crying and gagging break.

********

	Mamoru and Michiru took off running, pursued by their dates, both of 
whom had joined the zombie hordes.  "How wonderfully symbolic," Michiru 
muttered.

	"I know," Mamoru said.  "The irony is that if we were the zombies, 
they'd have both defeated us by now."

	"You know, we do have powers," Michiru said.

	They both stared at each other for a moment, feeling stupid.

	"Then, we both might want to use them," Mamoru said.  He stopped 
running so he could focus his will to transform.  Michiru pulled out her 
transformation pen and stopped running.

	"Neptune Plane..."  THWACK!  Michiru took a bokken to the head and 
fell down.  

	Mamoru took a gymnastics pin to the head and quietly crumpled, landing 
on top of Michiru.

	Their zombie dates then shambled off to take on other targets.

**********

	Grandpa knelt before the Sacred Fire, trying to gather his strength 
for the battle he was expecting.  He felt Nephrite come into the room, and 
turned, prayer rods in hand.  "You!  You're responsible for this!"

	"Yes, I am," Nephrite said.  He turned to the woman who stood next to 
him.  "Carnelian," he said.  "Make sure no one interrupts us."

	"Yes, Lord Nephrite," she said.  She was a pale woman with long red 
hair who reminded Nephrite of Beryl, if Beryl wore dark red crystalline 
armor, anyway.  Nephrite was quite pleased so far with the results of his 
transformation of Mrs. Osaka into Carnelian, though she certainly wouldn't 
be able to sustain the transformation for very long yet.  She was up to 
handling being a sentry, at least.  She moved to guard the doorway.

	Grandpa charged, staves flying in an elaborate attack pattern he hoped 
he was remembering correctly.  Nephrite simply held up his hand and 
commanded Pride to come forth.  Grandpa froze in mid-leap, and began to 
howl as the transformation washed over him and an indigo gem erupted from 
his chest, flying towards Nephrite.  

	Makoto and Gosunkugi stared in shock through the open doorway of the 
temple, watching.  Carnelian stood and watched them, waiting to see if it 
would be necessary to attack them for interfering.  Makoto whispered to 
Gosunkugi, "We have to do something!"

	I can't transform without blowing my secret, he thought.  But if I 
don't do something, Grandpa Hino is going to be turned into a monster.  He 
stood and waffled desperately.

********

	Elsewhere, Setsuna pulled herself out of a wrecked stall and 
transformed.  This drew down half a dozen zombies on herself, combined with 
Iron and Sandstone, two of Nephrite's youma.  Sailor Pluto dead screamed 
the zombies back away from herself, then turned and fled into the maze of 
stalls as Iron and Sandstone gave chase, hoping to lose them in the maze.  

She pulled out her communicator as she ran, and tried calling Sailor 
Moon, who took the call.  "Do we have any idea what's going on?" she asked 
Sailor Moon.

"Nephrite is after Grandpa," Sailor Moon replied.  "Head for the 
temple."

"Right," Pluto said.  She turned a corner and found Emerald, Copper, 
and Granite confronting her.  "Bloody hell."

"I'm afraid the game is up," Emerald said.  "Surrender now, or die 
pointlessly."

"Well, I could surrender.  Or die.  Or just leave," Pluto said.  
"SAILOR TELEPORT!"  And then she was gone.

"Dammit," Sandstone said.  "What now?"

"Fan out and find the others.  'Call' me if you locate them," Emerald 
said.

"Right."  They split into pairs and fanned out again.

*********

	Haruka glanced up the hill, covered with people running for their 
lives, zombies in pursuit.  Dammit, she thought.  I need to get up there, 
but I can't just leave this poor kid here.  "Keiko, hop on my cycle behind 
me.  I'm getting you to safety, then I'd better go find Gos."

	"I've never ridden a cycle before," she said.

	"It's easy."  Haruka helped her on.  "Hold on tight!"

	They roared off.

**********

	Artemis dragged Minako out of the wreckage.  "Snap out of it," he 
said.  "You've got to transform."
	
	"What about Tsubasa?" she asked, looking over at him.  He was still 
gagging and coughing and ignoring the world.

	"I'll get him to safety."

	"Right!  VENUS PLANET POWER!"  She transformed and immediately 
sprinted off.

	Tsubasa blinked.  "Minako is Sailor Venus?"

	"I thought you were too out of it to notice!" Artemis said.  Dammit, 
he thought.

	"Oh, I won't tell anyone.  So the whole ninja thing is just a cover 
identity?"

	"Umm...ahh...something like that."

	"Oh, the charms are what are affecting people, the spirits are telling 
me," Tsubasa said.  "Tell the Senshi that."

	"Umm, okay, I will," Artemis said weakly.

	"Good, good.  I'm going to go disguise myself as something not yummy 
to monsters now, okay?"

	"Be my guest."

********

	A great tide of zombies washed towards Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury.  
Sailor Moon looked thoughtful, then took out the rainbow crystal she 
possessed, and put a hand on Mercury's shoulder.  "Let's combine our 
powers," she said.

	Mercury nodded, and called forth a Shabon Spray, charged with Sailor 
Moon's purification abilities, backed up by the Rainbow Crystal.  The 
charms on all the zombies shattered, and they collapsed, falling to the 
ground and transforming back to normal.  

	Sailor Moon and Mercury both sagged, but felt triumphant.  "Now we 
have a clear shot at the temple," Mercury said.

	"Hey, I see Gosunkugi and Kino-san," Sailor Moon said.

	"We'd better go..."

	Four youma charged into the way.  Magnesite said, "Give up now, 
Senshi!  You'll never defeat all of us!"

	Sailor Moon fired a moonbow shot at Magnesite, and battle commenced.

*******

	Pride now stood before Nephrite.  The Indigo Crystal drifted into 
Nephrite's hands.  "Let's see what you're good for," Nephrite said.  "Go 
and find the Senshi out there and see if you can defeat them."

	"PRIDE ANSWERS TO NO MAN!  You can't tell me what to do!" Pride 
announced.

	"I am General Nephrite, and by Beryl's orders, you obey me!" Nephrite 
said.

	"Make me!"  

	"Insolent cur!"

	Pride grabbed the Indigo Crystal.  "Hey, that's mine!"

	"Give that back!"

	"Come and take it, punk!"

	Makoto, watching this, whispered to Gosunkugi, "Do you think that if 
we put that gem back in the old man, he'd turn back to normal?"

	"Maybe," Gosunkugi said.  Well, going to have to blow the secret 
identity.  I can't pass this up.  

	Then he noticed something shining on Makoto's brow.  It was the sign 
of Jupiter.  She must be one of the Senshi, he realized.  I wish I had a 
transformation pen to loan her...

	Luna, who had been lurking nearby, saw this as well.  She reverted to 
her cat form and summoned Jupiter's transformation pen, then carried it 
over to her.  "Jupiter!  You have to remember!  It's time for battle!"

	Makoto stared.  "A talking cat?"

	Inside, Nephrite and Pride were flinging energy blasts about, wrecking 
everything.

	"Take the pen!  Take it!"

	Makoto took it.  "Ugh, it's got cat drool on it!"

	Luna sighed.  "Just say Jupiter Planet Power."

	"Jupiter Planet Power?  What does..."  And the transformation rushed 
over her like sticking a fork in a socket.  Words came to her lips 
unbidden.  "SUPREME THUNDER!!!!!"  She blasted Nephrite with lightning, 
then tried to charge into the temple.

	Carnelian moved to intercept her.  "Gemstone Strike!"  A stream of 
uncut gems battered Jupiter, driving her back.

	Gosunkugi quickly transformed as Nephrite tumbled across the temple.  
Pride now got the upper hand on Nephrite, and started slamming his head 
into the ground.  

	Opal turned to examine Carnelian.  "Aim for the charm she's wearing!"

	Jupiter dodged and weaved, trying to close in on Carnelian, who kept 
firing gemstones at her.  I wish I had my skates, she thought.  I can't 
move so fast on foot.  While she had a lot of fighting training, much of it 
hinged around the mobility and grace possible on the ice, wearing her 
skates.  "I can't get close enough!"

	Opal concentrated, and took one of his darts.  He waited and waited 
for a chance at a clear shot, then threw the dart.  It hit the charm, 
shattering it.  Carnelian turned back into Mrs. Osaka, who fell to the 
ground.

	Jupiter and Opal ran in, then tried to figure out what to do next.  
Jupiter tried a Supreme Thunder on them, which threw Pride off Nephrite, 
who then teleported away, leaving the Senshi alone with him.  He turned, 
saw them, and shouted, "You helped him!  Now you die!"

	He charged at them.  Jupiter grabbed Opal and leaped out of the way.  
They were still running when Moon and Mercury ran in.  "Does he have any 
weakpoints?" Moon asked Mercury.

	"He's got a big ego, my computer says."

	Moon nodded.  "Coward!  Picking on helpless people!  You want a real 
fight?  Fight me!  I can beat you with one hand tied behind my back!"

	"Hey, I'm not helpless!" Jupiter protested.  "This is...umm...a 
strategic retreat."

	Pride charged right at Sailor Moon, who held up her Rainbow Crystal 
and tried to purify him.  He proceded to trample right over her, then crash 
into a wall at high speed and go right through it.

	"Okay, plan two..." Sailor Moon mumbled.

	"Never fear, Venus is here!"  Sailor Venus announced as she bounced in 
the door.

	Pride charged her from behind and trampled over her.

	Mercury finished a computer scan.  "Drive him into the sacred fire!  
It'll burn the evil spirit out!"

	Sailor Moon said, "Right."

	They all opened fire on him, but he kept either dodging their shots, 
or taking the blow, then trampled over people.  Soon, they were all covered 
with footprints.

	Finally, Jupiter managed to leap on him from behind and began 
wrestling him.  She strained and struggled with him, pushing herself to her 
limits.  With Sailor Moon's help, she began to drag him over to the sacred 
fire.  

	With a great cry, he broke loose and headed for the exit.

	"EARTH SHAKING!"

	"DEEP SUBMERGE!"

	"Attack I don't actually have a name for!"  That third one was Tuxedo 
Mask hurling a rose at Pride's chest.

	The triple whammy stunned Pride who fell over.  Jupiter and Moon 
grabbed him and hauled him over to the Sacred Fire, throwing him in.  He 
quickly turned back to normal, and they had to quickly reach in and pull 
him back out.

	Sailor Moon knelt by him.  "I'm sorry we couldn't protect you better, 
Grandpa," she whispered, starting to cry.  "Rei-chan's going to be really 
mad at me I didn't protect you better."

	Mercury came over and put a hand on her shoulder.  "You did the best 
you could, Usagi.  We had no way to know."

	"I should have done better," she said dully.  "I should have listened 
to Shampoo.  I bet she was right, and Jiko was one of Nephrite's people."

	As Mercury tried to comfort Moon, Venus said to Jupiter, "Nice to meet 
you!"

	She then introduced Neptune, Uranus, and Tuxedo Mask to Jupiter and 
vice-versa.  Jupiter said, "You guys showed up just in the nick of time."

	Pluto ran in.  "Is it over?" she asked.  "The youma all seem to be 
running away."

	"I think it's over," Tuxedo Mask said, rubbing his head and taking off 
his hat.  "Do I have a bruise?"

	"I know I do," Neptune said ruefully.  She checked his head.  "Not too 
bad."

	"We saved the day," Uranus said to Pluto.  "It's all over but the 
cleanup."

	Shampoo walked in, dragging Greed in a net.  "Shampoo even caught 
the..."

	He teleported away.

	"Well, Shampoo HAD caught the pickpocket."

	Sailor Moon got up and came over to Jupiter.  "Welcome to the team," 
she said.

	Jupiter smiled at her.  "Thanks, Sailor Moon.  I just wish I could 
have done more."

	"You did quite a bit," Mercury said.  "I think we all did."

	"So much for my hot date," Venus said.

	"Did I really see you with Tsubasa?  I thought he was hung up on 
Ukyou," Uranus said.

	"Oh, I think he prefers a bush to two birds," Venus replied.  "He's 
not quite as insanely obsessed and unable to move on with his life as some 
people."

"Really?"

	"Well, wearing my magic love lipstick to my first date with him 
probably didn't hurt."

	"..."

	"That was a joke."

	Uranus gave a sigh of relief.

	Jupiter turned to Opal.  "I should have known you were a superhero, 
the way you kiss sometimes."

	Opal turned red.  "I'm not a very good one yet."

	"You beat the redhead when I couldn't," Jupiter said.  "Now, once I 
train you to fight, you'll be invincible."

	"..."

	"You can skate, right?"

	"Sort of."

	"Well, then you can learn Martial Skating, the fine and elegant art of 
ice combat."

	"Uh, right."

	They all detransformed and began chattering away at each other, until 
Grandpa woke up.  He rubbed his head.  "Did I win?" he asked.

	"You drove away the monsters," Usagi assured him.

	"Good, good.  Are you okay?" he asked.

	"I'm just fine," he said.  "But I feel like a nap.  Can you clean 
everything up?"  He looked around the trashed temple.  "That must have been 
some fight."

	"It sure was," Usagi said.  "Let me help you to your bed."

	"Oh, I'll be fine," Grandpa said.  "I may be over seventy, but I'm not 
needing a nursemaid yet."

	"Of course not," Usagi said.  "I'll go make you a before-nap snack, 
then."

	"Thank you," he said.

	Usagi sprinted off.  Grandpa turned to Shampoo.  "Thanks for helping 
with the festival."

	"You're welcome," Shampoo replied.  

	Once Grandpa was gone, Ami started.  "Ryouga!  He got turned into a 
monster and is still running around out there!  We've got to go find him."

	"I think the charms have all worn off," Gosunkugi said.  "But it 
wouldn't hurt to be sure.  Can you do a computer scan?"

	Everyone gathered round Ami's computer.  The scan was quick.  "Well, 
he's back to normal.  But he's in Newark."

	"..."

	"So much for that date," Minako said.  "But I'm sure you'll have 
better luck next time."

	It couldn't be much worse, Ami thought.

***********

	Naru staggered home with her mother, not entirely sure what had 
happened at the festival.  She and her mother were both covered with dirt, 
but couldn't remember how they'd fell down.  Mr. Clancy found them walking 
and drove them the rest of the way home, then gave Mrs. Osaka a kiss 
goodnight.  

	Once she got the front door unlocked, Mrs. Osaka said weakly, "I'm so 
tired, I could die."

	"Me too," Naru said.  "You want to bathe first?"

	"Okay," Mrs. Osaka said.

	To her surprise, when she got to the bathroom, there was a naked male 
teenager in it, getting ready to take a shower.  She screamed and began 
hurling things at him, until he ran and leaped out the window, then fell 
screaming several stories.

	Naru came running.  "Wh...what was it?" she asked.

	"Just some pervert," Mrs. Osaka said wearily.  "Probably got drunk at 
the festival and got in here somehow."

	"Okay, call me when you finish.  I'm going to lie down."

	"Okay."

*************
	
	Of all the things she could have found at home after the festival, a 
naked Ryouga with a big lump on his head was not something Setsuna had 
anticipated seeing on the living room floor after she got back.  She threw 
some couch pillows over him, then shouted, "Is anyone here?"

	From one of the bedrooms, Mr. and Mrs. Hibiki emerged, clinging to a 
rope she'd slung along the wall.  The house was now criss-crossed with 
ropes, as she'd learned that if they clung to the ropes, they couldn't get 
too lost.  They soon reached her and saw Ryouga.  Mr. Hibiki's eyes 
widened.  "Oh my," he said.

	"Ahh, young love," Mrs. Hibiki said.

	When Setsuna realized what they thought, she turned red.  "I didn't do 
this to him!  I just found him like that."

	Ryouga sat up.  "My clothing!"

	"Isn't here," Setsuna said.

	"Some pervert woman attacked me in the bathroom."  He paused.  "I 
think it was my bathroom."

	Setsuna sighed.  "Probably not."  

	"Can you give me a hand up?" Ryouga asked.

	"Hold on, let me get you something to wear," Setsuna said.

	Mr. Hibiki pulled a tunic and pants out of his backpack, which he 
never seemed to take off, ever.  "Here you go."  He threw them to Ryouga, 
along with some underwear.  

	Setsuna went to the kitchen to get a snack so Ryouga could change 
without her around.  When she got back, he was dressed, and his parents had 
come over to him and were busy exchanging greetings and hugs and news of 
where all they had been.

	She sat and stared and munched on